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Spring is the perfect time to take care of your garden. The flowers are blooming and the trees are beginning to bud. May is the perfect time to prune and maintain the trees in our gardens.
However, there are some trees that you should not prune in May, as it may affect their health. In this article, we’ll show you which trees not to prune in May and tips to follow to keep your garden healthy.
Understand why pruning certain trees in May is not recommended
Pruning is an important practice for the health of trees, however, care should be taken not to prune any tree at any time. In fact, some species of trees should not be pruned during the month of May because they are in their breeding season.
Pruning during this period can delay or prevent flowering and therefore fruiting. Pruning before the end of May can also affect the aesthetic appearance of trees, as it leads to the development of unsightly branches.
Special attention should be paid to flowering and fruiting trees, which should be avoided during the month of May. It is therefore essential to respect good pruning practices in order to maintain a beautiful garden, but also to ensure the good health of the plants.
Which trees should not be pruned in May?
In May, the weather can be unstable and the temperature is relatively cool. This is why it is not advisable to prune trees at this time.
Some species are more sensitive than others and even if you are tempted to maintain them, it is better not to. For example, for conifers such as cedar or cypress, pruning in May can be very harmful, as the buds are still very tender and sensitive to frost.
The bark of the tree is still fragile and may be damaged and the tree will not be able to recover properly. In addition, some species such as hornbeam, oak, or maple produce latex that flows from the cuts when they are made in May. Thus, the latex will reach the heart of the wood and cause more serious damage.
When to prune trees that do not need pruning in May?
Many trees do not need to be pruned in May, however, it is possible to perform pruning work during this month if necessary. Professionals recommend pruning trees during the winter or fall when the trees are dormant.
Outside of this season, the best time to prune a tree is in early spring, when the buds are just beginning to develop. This prevents the sap from flowing and damaging branches damaged during pruning.
However, care must be taken not to cut twigs with buds, as these are more fragile and could be damaged by the pruning shears.
Here are some tips for pruning a tree:
- Always use appropriate and sharp tools.
- Have a good knowledge of the tree to prune.
- Cut branches following the natural shape of the tree.
- Avoid cutting more than a third of the branches.
- Cut the branches surrounding the trunk in a way that allows for good air circulation.
It is necessary to be careful when pruning trees and to use adequate tools to ensure correct pruning without damaging the plant.
How do I prune a tree correctly?
Pruning a tree is not as simple as one might think, it is an operation that requires some expertise. To do proper pruning, you need to make sure you follow a few principles, including not removing too many branches at once.
It is also important to cut branches as close to the trunk as possible to avoid hollows and injuries. It is important to know that some branches can be cut at an angle to improve sap flow and tree health.
Finally, it is advisable to use tools adapted to the operation in order to have better control and greater precision.
It is also necessary to take into account the climatic conditions: during the hot months, when the wind blows strongly and when it rains, it is prudent not to prune the trees because it can cause injuries or damage the tree. Similarly, if the tree is diseased, it should not be pruned as this may weaken it further.
In summary, the trees that should not be pruned in May are those that lose their leaves in the fall, because pruning during this season would cause a significant loss of sap and would harm growth. It is therefore important to know your trees before pruning them and to respect their growth cycles.
