SafetyWatch: Winter pruning wisdom

The winter season is often the best time to prune trees because it’s easier for tree care professionals to spot diseases and dead wood due to a lack of foliage and insects, according to Manny Nassar, technical adviser for the Davey Institute, a division of The Davey Tree Expert Co.

“I tell my guys to look for anything that looks dead or diseased, anything that’s crossing or rubbing,” says Nassar, who has been with Davey for 15 years. “From there, they can start working on structure. Also, you never want to move more than a quarter of growth on a tree at one time.”