The day I realized most people are pruning oaks in the wrong season

Walked past a crew trimming a live oak in July last summer near Austin and had to bite my tongue. Have you ever tried to explain oak wilt risk to a homeowner mid-heatwave without sounding like a know-it-all?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_gavin9d ago

Hold up, trimming a live oak in July? Thats like asking for trouble with oak wilt. I thought everyone knew you're supposed to prune oaks in the dead of winter.

gibson.oliver9d ago

Yeah wait @the_gavin is right though? July pruning on live oaks is basically an open invitation for sap beetles to bring oak wilt right to your cut. Ive lost trees that way before - just wait till December or January when the beetles arent active and the sap isnt flowing so fast.