The short answer
For most trees in Asheville, the best time to prune is during the dormant season, from late November through early March. The leaves are off, so it is easy to see the structure of the tree. Insects and disease are less active. And the tree is ready to seal its cuts with a burst of growth in spring.
Season by season
| Season | Good for | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Late fall to winter (Nov to early Mar) | Structural pruning, thinning, height and weight reduction, most shade trees and evergreens | Climbing on ice-covered limbs |
| Spring (Mar to May) | Spring-flowering trees right after they bloom (dogwood, redbud, cherry, magnolia) | Heavy pruning while leaves are first coming out |
| Summer (Jun to Aug) | Deadwood, clearance over roofs and driveways, correcting fast new growth | Big cuts during drought |
| Early fall (Sep to Oct) | Deadwood and hazard limbs ahead of winter storms | Heavy pruning that pushes tender new growth before frost |
Any time: dead, broken and dangerous limbs
Dead limbs, broken hangers and branches rubbing the roof do not need to wait for winter. Removing them is good for the tree and for your house, in any season. After a storm, call us for emergency tree service.
Why Asheville is different
Mountain weather puts big loads on trees: ice storms and wet snow in winter, summer thunderstorms rolling over the ridges, and the remnants of hurricanes in late summer and fall. Thinning and deadwood removal before storm season lets wind pass through the canopy and takes away the limbs most likely to fail. If you have large trees over the house, a winter pruning visit every few years is one of the best investments you can make.
What we never do
We don’t top trees. Topping cuts big limbs back to stubs, which weakens the tree, invites rot and grows back as crowded, weak sprouts that are more likely to break. When a tree needs to be smaller, we cut back to healthy side branches. Learn more about ourtree trimming and pruning.