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Question about pruning oaks in summer after a bad critique
Had an arborist walk through my backyard last spring after I trimmed a few oak branches in June. He straight up told me I was risking oak wilt every time I cut during the growing season. Said I should only prune oaks between November and March when the sap beetles aren't active. I changed my whole approach since then. Now I wait until winter for any oak trimming, and I always bring wound paint just to be safe. Has anyone else gotten that same warning about timing from a pro?
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the_tessa4d ago
Thing is, your arborist wasn't wrong about the risk but he was maybe a little extreme about the timing. Oak wilt is real bad but it depends a lot on your region and how bad the bug pressure is that year. Where I live, we've got a short window in late July when the beetles are actually less active because it's too hot and dry for them to fly around. So the whole "never cut in summer" thing isn't a universal rule. You gotta check your local extension office or a forester for what's really happening in your specific area. Wound paint is a good backup but some research shows it can actually trap moisture against the cut if you put it on thick. Better to just cut clean and let the tree heal on its own if you pick the right time.
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