One of the first major challenges for amateur arborists is deciding what time of year to prune their trees. While this may vary depending on the tree species, there are also rules to follow.

Beisswenger's Hardware, a local hardware store based in New Brighton, MN, offers a primer on when to do your pruning:

• Winter Pruning: The best time of year to prune trees is in the winter. This minimizes the potential for insect and disease infections. Wait until the coldest months have passed, and then prune away dead or unwanted branches. This clears space for maximum growth when spring arrives. Plus, the bare limbs during winter allow pruners to see what they’re doing and cut precisely. 
• Pruning in the Summer: Pruning during the summer has the opposite effect of winter pruning. Instead of maximizing growth, summer pruning slows it down in places where branches have grown too far or too fast. Summer pruning also gives you a chance to cut away branches growing in an undesirable direction or weighing down the tree. A pruning sealer should be applied for any limbs greater than one inch. 
• Never Prune in Fall: Fall is when trees and plants become dormant and enter winter. Because pruning stimulates new growth, pruning in the fall sends mixed signals to trees, negatively affecting their ability to enter winter dormancy. Plus, pruning on a warm fall day can cause sap to rise in the tree. When followed by a night below freezing, this can have disastrous results. 

Beisswenger's Hardware is New Brighton's go-to hardware store for everything from power tools and gardening equipment to snow blowers and chainsaws. They’ve been in business since 1919, and have become a bona fide garden center for homeowners looking to maintain beautiful lawns and gardens. Visit Beisswenger Hardware's website to learn more about the beloved hardware store, or give the staff a call at (651) 633-1271.