Avoid pruning evergreen shrubs in the fall.

Sep 12, Wait to prune oak trees.

Luckily, I don't live in Iowa, so I don't think my oak trees are in as much danger of getting the Oak Wilt fungus, but knowing to avoid trimming before November is a really helpful tip and I'll be sure to schedule accordingly.

The best way to prevent the spread of oak wilt is to not prune any oak tree during the growing season. For that reason, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) suggests to not start any pruning until at least the first frost. “The risk of transmitting oak wilt through a pruning wound this time of year is low” says Tivon Feeley, with the Iowa DNR’s forest. Winter (December through February) is the best time to prune oak trees in Iowa.

Pruning oak trees in winter greatly reduces the risk of an oak wilt infection. Oak wilt is a fungal disease that is lethal to many oaks.

It can be spread from infected trees to healthy trees by sap-feeding beetles (“picnic bugs”). Oak wilt infections occur most commonly in spring and early summer. Jan 20, Luckily, I don't live in Iowa, so I don't think my oak trees are in as much danger of getting the Oak Wilt fungus, but knowing to avoid trimming before November is a really helpful tip and I'll be sure to schedule treeclearing.barted Reading Time: 2 mins.

The winter months – December, January, and February – are the best time to prune oak trees. Deciduous trees can be pruned at other times of the year with little or no negative consequences. However, if possible, avoid pruning deciduous trees in spring when the trees are leafing out and in fall when the trees are dropping their leaves.