Winter is the perfect time to prune oak trees. Oak trees are special for many reasons: they’re Iowa’s state tree, they’re important to our ecosystem and — they shouldn’t be pruned during the spring ...

Waiting until the leaves drop in fall is a rule of thumb for pruning shade trees, mainly because you can see bare limbs better, and the job is less “messy” without leaves attached to the cut branches.

March is a good time to prune most trees and shrubs. By waiting until just before new growth begins, pruning wounds are sealed more quickly and there is a reduced risk of cold temperature injury.