Pine trees, or conifers, have needles (instead of flat leaves) and seed-bearing cones. They are evergreens, meaning they stay green year-round, even in harsh winter climates. Because they have dominant leaders, they do not generally need to be pruned or trimmed while young for training purposes. They do, however, need to be trimmed to remove dead, diseased or damaged branches and, on occasion, can be thinned for aesthetic reasons.
Trimming for Corrective Reasons
The best time to trim your pine trees for corrective reasons is during dormancy, or the winter months. Pruning pine trees in the winter will often lead to an explosive burst of growth in the spring as temperatures get warmer. Pine trees also have a reduced sap flow in winter. But if your trees are damaged in some way, either by disease, animals or vandalism, trim immediately, regardless of the season.
Trimming Whorls
During the early growing season, from late March through the first part of April, pine trees develop compact whorls of needles called candles. These candles, which look like thin, brown, cylindrical brushes, must be pinched or trimmed back after this first flush of growth to encourage density and keep the tree more or less the same size. Candles should be cut back nearly to their base. Make sure you don't cut into old needle areas, however.
Pre-Christmas Trimming
Pine trees also may be trimmed a little during December, before Christmas, for decorative purposes. Be careful not to trim too much to achieve that desired, conical Christmas tree effect. If you trim too extensively you run the risk of damaging the tree, because you will be encouraging new growth that might not be able to withstand the cold winter temperatures that either are around already or will likely follow in January or February. This is only a problem in areas with harsh winter climates, such as the Northeast or Upper Midwest.
When Not to Trim
Avoid any sort of pruning or trimming in the late summer or early autumn. If you prune or trim in September or October, you run the risk of stimulating new growth that may not mature before winter sets in and thus may be damaged or killed by the cold. Another risk of trimming pine trees during a dry summer or early fall is the potential for an attack by bark beetles.
Ideal Trimming Conditions
Try not to trim pine trees if the weather forecast calls for rain or snow. Moisture could put the tree at heightened risk of disease or insect damage. Use sharp shears, and make your pruning cuts outside the branch collar at an angle of 45 to 60 degrees to the ridge of the branch bark. Leaving the branch collar intact prevents decay from entering the trunk.
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