When Should You Remove a Dead Branch?

Much has been written about when to prune trees and shrubs. We’re told we must prune fruit trees at the end of winter, spring-flowering shrubs immediately after they bloom, summer-flowering shrubs in early spring, trees with abundant sap in mid-summer, and clematis… well, that depends on which class they belong to. It’s enough to make you pull out your hair in frustration!

But there is at least one type of pruning that is not dependent on the season: removing dead branches. There is no particular season for suppressing a dead branch, regardless of species. Do it whenever you notice it, simply cutting it off, if possible, just above a living section.

Sometimes life is soooo simple!