Typically, in more northern climates, lawn and landscape companies are hard at work in the fall to prepare properties for the brutal cold of winter. However, it’s a common misconception that lawn care and maintenance should stop during winter. Even in Florida, property owners tend to slow down their lawn care during the winter months—but there are several reasons lawn care companies remain hard at work, even through winter. One such reason is winter pruning.

Pruning—the act of carefully trimming excess branches and leaves from deciduous plants—should occur several times a year, one of which being during winter. Pruning during winter is known as dormant pruning, and there are several reasons why dormant pruning is important. Here are some key reasons for and benefits of winter pruning in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Lee County, FL.

Pruning maximizes the quantity and quality of fruit-bearing trees.

After planting and initial growth, if a fruit-bearing tree is left unattended, its natural growth can actually inhibit the quantity and the quality of the fruit produced. Trees left unpruned can grow structurally imbalanced, leading to poor growth and poor fruit quality. Pruning a fruit tree while dormant can guide its growth trajectory to not only create a more stable scaffolding (keeping the tree and its fruits balanced) but also to be exposed to more oxygen and sunlight, which will lead to more plentiful fruit that’s of top-notch quality.

Winter pruning makes it easier to analyze a tree’s structure.

To better guide and promote a tree’s future growth, we need to be able to properly appraise a tree’s structure so that it’s pruned in the right places. Waiting until winter ensures that the tree is at its most bare in terms of leafage, meaning it’s easier for landscaping professionals to determine where to prune.

Winter pruning helps limit spreading disease.

Parasites, bacteria, or fungi all like to latch onto trees for the ample nutrients they provide. Diseases such as oak wilt spread during summer and go dormant along with the trees during winter or simply die—which makes winter the perfect time to prune and help mitigate further spread of the disease. Pruning excess leaves and branches from trees give pests or disease nowhere else to grow, causing them to die off. Needless to say, this will help promote a healthy future for your trees—fruit-bearing or not.

Call us today for your winter pruning needs!

At Tim's Tree Service, we are committed to helping your trees live their best lives. Our tree trimming and pruning services cover all trees in the Cape Coral, FL area, the most common including palm trees, fruit trees, and red maple trees. Our other services include tree removal and stump grinding, and with three decades of experience, we are prepared and committed to ensuring your trees grow and are maintained with excellent quality and care.

Give us a call today at (239) 994-6384 to schedule your tree trimming or removal service. Alternatively, you may request a price quote here and we will get back with you as soon as possible.