When a pruning cut is made in late winter, the tree will begin the wound-healing process immediately. This process seals the wound from pathogens that can damage the inner vascular system.

Prune summer-flowering trees and shrubs in mid- to late-winter. Remove dead growth anytime. Dan Gill is a retired consumer horticulture specialist with the LSU AgCenter.

Pruning trees back will force new branches to grow. ... But the tree form can be more sensitive to winter cold damage, so a bush form with multiple trunks is better for north Louisiana, he said.

Winter is a fine time for tree pruning for several reasons. On deciduous trees, bare branches make it easier for an arborist to inspect the tree’s overall structure and to examine it close-up.

Training trees can occur during active growth, but more often pruning is carried out in dormancy, just before buds form in late winter or early spring. Unless your tree blooms on old growth, this is ...

Pruning trees back will force new branches to grow. ... But the tree form can be more sensitive to winter cold damage, so a bush form with multiple trunks is better for north Louisiana, he said.

As it ripens through summer, protecting fruit and nuts from squirrels, birds and perhaps other wildlife can be daunting, and may seem futile.

Use sharp secateurs for young shoots and a pruning saw for any thicker branches. The expert added: “You need to make sure you ...