Q&A for How to Trim Oak Trees

The winter is the best time to prune trees. The visibility is better when the leaves are gone and the tree will also recover and heal faster if pruned during the winter.

Yes, oak trees should be pruned regularly to remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches and to thin out the canopy. Hire or consult a professional arborist before felling large branches. Remove 1/3 of the branches once a year or every several years.

Yes, but it's recommended that any very high branches should be cut by professionals, due to safety concerns.

It's not recommended to prune or cut during the summer, with the exception of extreme situations. Try holding out until the winter in order to allow them to heal in the spring.

A damaged branch will look shorn off or even withered, or it may die and fall off. Sometimes you may see white, flaky scaling on the bark of a tree that's indicative of a pest, but a lot of things can happen to a tree that aren't necessarily due to disease. For instance, the tree could be struck by lightning, one side might not get as much sun and it could weaken, and sometimes branches are too heavy and split.

The best way is to work with your neighbor and decide how to trim the tree. Legally, you can usually trim anything straight above your property line.

January through March.

If oak wilt is possible or common in your area, then you should seal, especially in May. Oak wilt can be active then. Otherwise, sealing is not generally necessary or helpful.

You can prune a tree or bush at any time of the year. Just pay attention where you cut, and follow standard guidelines for where to cut.

Yes. There is no special time to trim dead branches from any tree because they are no longer part of the tree; they only weigh it down unnecessarily.

It depends what time of the year it is being cutting. If you did it during the winter, then the spring is when you see new growth.

Take it slowly. Trim outer branches first in an effort to direct the growth where you want it to go.

Deciduous oaks and evergreen oaks are best trimmed at different times of the year: deciduous in winter, evergreen in summer. It’s good to thin the crown if it is really dense or heavy; this should be done sparingly and selectively. Dead branches can be removed any time of the year.

I use two methods, depending on how high my branch is. 1. For a lower branch I use fishing line tied through a hole in a wood spear. 2. If the branch is very high I use a fishing weight with fishing line. Note: I use the fishing line because it's light and will allow a better toss. Once the fishing line is over your branch, you can pull any size rope over the branch.

Visit an arboretum and see how high their trees are elevated. If a branch hits your head when mowing, it should be removed. If any branch hangs over your roof and can touch it in a storm, remove it. It will make a hole in your shingles. As the tree grows, aim to limb it up to about 10 feet off the ground. Remove those limbs back to the trunk so you have a clean trunk the first 10 feet up. Oaks need attention every couple of years once they really start growing.

My tree guys recommends that to guard against disease.