Pruning wounds are an easy access point for harmful bacteria and other nasty pathogens.

Oak trees need pruning from time to time for many different reasons, so when is the best time to prune them? When should oak trees be pruned? During the dormant season in the winter. After leaves have fallen off but before the active growing season. Dead of winter is best when there isn’t sap running yet.

While you can prune trees anytime there are best times and worst times Estimated Reading Time: 7 mins. Pruning oak trees in winter greatly reduces the risk of an oak wilt infection as the beetles and fungal mats are not present at that time of year.

August-October is considered less risky for pruning, but most homeowners wait until dormancy to trim oak trees.

If an oak tree must be pruned in spring or summer (such as after a storm), apply latex house paint to the pruning cuts to avoid attracting sap-feeding beetles to the wounds. Sep 26, Oak trees are best trimmed in the winter between November and March.

Oak trees are dormant in winter and are less likely to be negatively affected by pruning when in winter dormancy. That being said, branches which are dead, damaged, or diseased should be removed any time of year (and as soon as possible).Estimated Reading Time: 8 mins.

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Feb 13, Like other trees, oak trees are generally pruned every 2 to 3 years when young and every 3 to 5 years when they’re older. But oak trees have unique pruning needs because they can be infected with oak wilt, a deadly disease brought on by pests that prey on fresh pruning cuts. Oak wilt is most active from April to July, which is why you should never trim oak trees in.