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What to Prune When in El Dorado Hills
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Here's the year, one season at a time. The first table is the short form.
| Tree | Best time to prune | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Valley, blue and black oak (they drop leaves) | Winter | Cuts that leave a wound where water sits. |
| Interior live oak (green all year) | Summer | Cuts that leave a wound where water sits. |
| Crape myrtle | Late winter, before new growth | Topping. The new shoots are weak. |
| Western redbud | Light work, once a year | Heavy cuts. Blooms open on bare twigs in spring. |
| Chinese pistache | Late winter, before spring growth | Heavy cuts right after the spring flush. |
| Pines | October to January | Fresh cuts while bark beetles fly. |
| Dead or broken limbs | Any time | Anything near a power line. |
Sources: UC Master Gardeners (oaks), Virginia Tech Extension (crape myrtle), International Society of Arboriculture brochure, UC IPM bark beetle guide.
Winter, December through February
Winter is the big season for leaf-dropping oaks. The El Dorado County Master Gardener talk says to prune valley, blue and black oaks in winter. Once the leaves are down, the shape, the dead wood and the mistletoe all show.
On bare winter trees, the evergreen clumps of mistletoe stand out, UC IPM notes. They can be 2 feet wide or more. Cutting mistletoe out each winter is better than doing nothing, UC says, though it grows back. To really stop it, cut a foot or more below the spot where the mistletoe grips the branch, says UC.
Late winter is also crape myrtle time. Do it before new growth starts, and skip the topping.
Pines can be pruned from October through January. Pines stay off the saw list from February to mid-October, UC says, while beetles are in the air.
Spring: March to May
Redbuds put on their show, with flowers on bare twigs from February to April, says the USDA. Enjoy them. Prune lightly afterward, if at all.
Spring is a time to watch rather than cut. The arborist brochure says to avoid heavy pruning of live tissue right after the spring growth flush. Dead and broken limbs can still come out any time.
If your blue oak turns pale blue or almost white after a wet spring, don't panic. The Master Gardener talk says that's powdery mildew. It says nothing needs to be done, and the tree will most likely grow new leaves by next spring.
Summer: June to August
Summer is the time for evergreen oaks, like interior live oak. The Master Gardener rule puts their cuts in summer. Make small cuts and don't leave spots where water can pool.
It is also the season of summer limb drop. On hot, calm days, big sideways oak limbs can fall. If one hangs over your roof or driveway, call before a hot spell, not after.
Dry months mean stressed trees. Skip fertilizer and skip big shaping jobs on thirsty trees. UC Master Gardeners say to remove only diseased, damaged or dead branches in a drought. Read drought-stressed trees for more.
Fall: September to November
October opens the pine window again. It is also a good time to look over the big limbs before winter storms.
Mistletoe berries show up from October to December, and birds spread the seeds. Birds favor tall perches, so big old trees get hit first, UC says.
Raking leaves? Leave the oak leaves under the oak. The Master Gardener talk says they work as mulch.
Cuts you can make any time
The arborist brochure says most routine work to take off weak, diseased or dead limbs can happen at any time of year. That is the job for a storm-broken branch or a dead twig cluster.
Big cuts and shaping cuts are the ones that need the right month.
Cuts to skip
- Topping. The arborist brochure ranks it among the most harmful cuts of all.
- Wound paint. UC says it neither heals the cut nor blocks rot.
- Pruning crape myrtle in late summer or early fall, when new shoots can freeze.
- Any trimming within 10 feet of a power line, as PG&E says to keep that distance.
Costs, in short
Fixr says trimming runs $175 to $750 for most jobs, with about $450 as the national average. Homeyou lists $212 to $688. Price is the pro's call once they've seen the trees. See the cost table on the home page.
Step by step
- Call us or send the form.
- List the trees you have and what's bugging you.
- We book a pro for a walk-through.
- The pro gives you the price and the right month.