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Few things are as beautiful as a glorious mature oak growing on a residential or commercial property. But even the healthiest oak will occasionally require pruning to remain safe and continue looking its best. And unfortunately, some oaks will eventually succumb to pests or disease and need to be removed.
But can you have this kind of work carried out at any time of year? Is there a proper time to have oaks trimmed or removed? In fact, there is a very specific time of year you should always have oak trees pruned or removed.
Read on to learn more about the best season to trim or remove an oak tree, so that you’ll be prepared when the need arises.
Threats to Michigan’s Native Oaks
The primary reason that timing is an important factor for pruning oak trees is that there are a variety of pests and diseases that can attack freshly pruned tree branches. Many of these potential threats are relatively minor and unlikely to cause significant harm to the tree. But there’s at least one problem that can create huge problems for oaks: It’s called oak wilt, and it threatens most of the oaks growing in Michigan.
Caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum, oak wilt is a deadly disease that can kill oak trees in a matter of weeks in some cases. The disease can spread in several different ways, including wind-dispersal of spores and via the feeding activities of wood-boring insects. In either case, the fungal spores contact an uninfected (and often vulnerable) oak tree, which then leads to the disease. The disease can also spread via root grafting.
When Is the Best Time to Trim an Oak Tree?
Because the fungus that causes oak wilt is most active in the growing season, as are the insects that may spread the infection, oak trees should never be pruned in the summer. Instead, they should be pruned from late fall to early spring, when the trees (as well as the fungus and insects that spread the fungus) are dormant.
Specifically, the Michigan Oak Wilt Coalition recommends that all oak tree pruning be conducted between October 16th and March 14th to reduce the chances of disease transmission. However, for the best possible risk reduction, it is wise to have oak trees pruned during the middle of winter.
It is important to note that trees may occasionally need to be pruned outside of this window for safety purposes. In these cases, you’ll simply want to work closely with your arborist to ensure the work is carried out in a manner that minimizes the risks to the tree (such as by covering wounds with latex paint).
When Is the Best Time to Remove an Oak Tree?
Because you don’t have to worry about the health of a tree slated for removal, many people assume that oak trees can be removed at any time during the year. But while it’s true that you don’t have to worry about the health of a tree being removed, removing an oak during the active growing season can endanger other oaks in the vicinity. In fact, this can occur in at least two different ways.
For starters, by having a tree removed, bugs — including those who may spread oak wilt — will be attracted to the area. These bugs may then visit oaks that have become infected with the fungus and spread the fungus to other oaks. It’s also possible that the stump will become infected with the fungus. This not only leads to a proliferation of the fungus in the local area, but it also means that the stump may infect other oaks via a process called root grafting.
Given these potential risks, it is simply wisest to have oaks removed during the same October 16th to March 14th period during which they should be pruned.
Pruning and Removing Oaks During the Active Season: An Occasional Necessity
From time to time, trees will present safety risks that necessitate immediate pruning or removal; you can’t always wait for winter to arrive to deal with hazardous trees (waiting too long to remove a tree may end up causing you to need crane-assisted removal).
When this is necessary, it is generally wise to have the stubs left behind (or the tree stump, if the entire tree was removed) painted with latex paint. This will help to prevent insects from being attracted to the tree or spores from being released from the freshly cut sections.
Do All Michigan Oaks Have to Be Trimmed During the Winter?
Generally speaking, yes — it is important to have all 10 species of oaks that are native to Michigan pruned or removed during the winter. This is because they are all susceptible to oak wilt.
With that said, it’s important to note that oaks in the red oak group are more susceptible to oak wilt than those in the white oak group. This means that northern red oaks (Quercus rubra), black oaks (Q. velutina), northern pin oaks (Q. ellipsoidalis), pin oaks (Q. palustris), and scarlet oaks (Q. coccinea), are at higher risk of oak wilt than white oaks (Q. alba), bur oaks (Q. macrocarpa), swamp white oaks (Q. bicolor), chinkapin oaks (Q. muehlenbergii), and chestnut oaks (Q. montana) are.
Most red oaks will end up succumbing to the disease much more rapidly than white oaks will, with many dying within a single growing season. Typically, the disease (while still dangerous) spreads more slowly in white oak species.
The Best Season to Trim or Remove Oak Trees: FAQ
Still have questions about the proper timing for oak tree maintenance? We’ll answer a few of the most common questions we hear from our customers below!
What months should you not trim oak trees?
You should always avoid pruning oak trees between mid-April and mid-November (unless safety dictates otherwise). This will help reduce the chances that the tree will contract oak wilt or suffer pest attacks.
When to remove an oak tree?
The best time to remove an oak tree is during the winter dormancy period. However, most authorities report that removing oak trees anytime between October 16th and March 14th is unlikely to contribute to the spread of oak wilt.
What months are best for tree trimming?
Generally speaking, it’s best to trim trees during their dormant period. During this time, the threats posed by pests, fungi, and bacteria are lowest. The tree’s need for resources is also lowest during this period, which provides an additional reason to carry out pruning during the winter dormancy period.
There is also one more reason winter is the ideal time to prune trees (especially oaks): Your arborist can see the tree’s canopy architecture clearly, thanks to the absence of leaves.
Why can you only remove or prune oaks in the winter?
It’s generally a bad idea to prune or remove oaks during the warm portions of the year because they can lead to the spread of oak wilt — a deadly fungal disease that can kill oaks in a matter of weeks. By pruning them in the winter (when wood-boring pests and fungal activity are low), you’ll reduce the chances of spreading the disease.
Of course, if an oak is placing your home or family at risk, it may be wise to have an emergency removal carried out anyway.
Is there a best season to remove any tree?
Some tree species can be removed during the growing season without much fear of disease transmission. Black gums (Nyssa sylvatica), for example, are rarely plagued by insect or disease problems at all. However, because trees are easier to work on (they’re even lighter) during the winter, it’s generally wise to have all pruning and removal projects completed during the winter.
Trust Treemendous Tree Care for All Your Tree-Care Needs!
Whether you need an oak tree trimmed or completely removed, the professionals at Treemendous Tree Care are standing by ready to help! We’ve been providing tree-care services since 2019, and we’ve made a name for ourselves as the tree-service provider homeowners and property managers in Southeast Michigan can trust. Book your free estimate today, so you can sit back and relax, confident that your trees are in the best possible hands!
