Connifer Cutting Guidance

bloke91

Hi all,

I have some tall connifer tree's in my garden. Is the best time to cut them  April - August to avoid risk of browning or killing the tree's?

I cut them ladmst May and could do with trimming the tops of them before winter but found mixed information on line.

Some saying can cut until end of Spetember others saying never cut beyond August.

Welcome your thoughts and input.

Thanks

Sarahspangles

They need time to callous over the cut a bit before wet weather and frosts which increase the chance of rot. You can’t eliminate the risk entirely but consider what your local climate is like.

If you trim back back from green into brown on conifers then it’s unlikely new growth will ever cover that. If you reach into the crown and cut out the growing point, but there is healthy growth above that point from lower branches, it’s less obvious.

As an aside, I killed a row of Monterey Cypress Goldcrest by assuming that conifers are tough. It’s one that doesn’t like wind. I took out the first one, which was by the gate, because dogs were peeing on it and it had gone brown quite a way up. The next one then took the wind and browned, and so on until they were all gone. 

Eldi_Dos

Really it will depend on the variety of tree and where you are in the country.

Different varieties will need pruned at different times. If in doubt I would go with the old adage of pruning while the sap is rising.

Waiting till next spring will be best option if you do not need them pruned now.

twopenny

Another aspect is how hard do you intend to prune.

If severe then spring I would have thought to get it green again for winter.

If it's just a trim to make it tidy you could do that now.

FlorayG

What exact conifer are they? Nobody can really advise without that information

molerat

My advice for any conifer is find a spot about 6" above ground level and carefully cut through with a chainsaw.