when to prune

[woodsmith]

what's the best time of year to cut culls and prune dead branches off my beloved maples? I also have a couple trees that were too close to a brush fire and are scorched on one side and losing the bark in that area, is there something I can do to help heal this scorched side? An old timer told me to paint it with an oil base paint....any thoughts? thanks

[michelle32]

If it where me. I would cut them right after tapping. Get as much out of them as you can now. It's not going to make that much of a differance this year any ways as far as thinning for the others. Keith

[DrTimPerkins]

what's the best time of year to cut culls and prune dead branches off my beloved maples? I also have a couple trees that were too close to a brush fire and are scorched on one side and losing the bark in that area, is there something I can do to help heal this scorched side? An old timer told me to paint it with an oil base paint....any thoughts? thanks

Cut, thin, prune...in the spring AFTER sugaring. If pruning, be sure to follow proper pruning practices. Do NOT cover an open wound on a tree with ANYTHING. Leave it alone....it'll heal over gradually (or die).

[maple flats]

Dr Perkins is correct. Nature takes best care of any damage, let it be. Pruning paint or anything else applied to damage causes stress in the tree of one type or another. Most pro's who use pruning paint only do it for appearance (and few still do use it), people think you have helped it by putting a band aid on it. Don't do it!

[MASSEY JACK]

I agree that pruning should be done after sugaring.But, I would rather thin a woods when the ground and the trees are frozen if you are using any kind of machinery. Root damage,rutting,and ground compaction are non existent on frozen ground. I also like to have the bark frozen onto the trees when felling and working around the crop trees. If you accidentally touch a crop tree with machinery or felled wood when frozen the bark hangs on fairly well and injury is less likely. When you cut wood right after sugaring it is very easy to slide the bark off and make big scars.

[Big_Eddy]

I prune any time the tree is dormant. Essentially from when the leaves come off up until the day I tap. I prefer to work with frozen ground, as it minimizes rutting, mud, and improves access to the trees. Pruning while the tree is dormant also means I don't have to deal with leaves.

You want all your pruning to be done before the growing season begins, that way your crop trees are able to optimize the usage of the openings you have made.

I tend to walk through late in the summer when the foliage is still on, to get an idea what needs to be done, then come back a couple of months later to do the work.

As for your damaged trees - If removing them will release others, then might as well get them out of there as soon as this years tapping is over. If removing them won't benefit any other crop trees - leave them alone and let nature decide for you. I have one large tree where the bark was rubbed off by a skidder 20+ years ago (before I owned it) and now there is a huge hole in the trunk, yet it stands on its own and has been one of my best producers for years. Eventually it will come down on its own, but I leave it there as a testament to it's ability to survive.

[woodsmith]

thanks everyone, that is very helpful!

[northwoods_forestry]

I'll second Massey Jack's comment that any harvesting or thinning should be done during frozen ground conditions if the logs will be removed from the sugarbush. I would strongly discourage doing any tree removal work in the spring when the soils and vegetation are most vulnerable to damage.