How to Trim Shumard Oak Leaves in Winter

Shumard oaks maintain green foliage through spring and summer.

Oak trees bring classic beauty, greenery and shade to home gardens and live for many years with the right care. Shumard oaks bear large, rounded canopies of 4- to 8-inch leaves and lose their leaves in a bright red fall display. The late winter season, when the branches are bare, offers an ideal pruning opportunity for cleanliness, health and shaping. Plan your pruning session ahead of time to maintain controlled cutting and get started.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears
• Lopping shears
• Ladder

Instructions

1. Prune the tree in late winter when the weather grows milder, but before new spring growth appears, to avoid damaging the tree. Dormant pruning sessions allow the tree to save its resources for new growth and healing in spring.

2. Thin the crown of the tree for better light and air circulation. Cut out any old foliage and up to one-quarter of the canopy branches. Prune the tree in an even manner to maintain aesthetic and physical balance. Make these cuts one inch above a joint or growing node to encourage new growth.

3. Cut out larger dead, broken or diseased branches. Diseased and dead wood pulls on tree resources without adding nutrition to the tree's stores. Include branches that have a small angle of attachment with their mother branches as these are more likely to break. Make these cuts one inch above the joining wood to give the tree room to heal.

Tips & Warnings

• Shumard oak trees grow to 40 to 60 feet in height and spread at full maturity, and grow approximately 3 inches every year. They thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 5 through 9.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension: Pruning Trees and Shrubs
• Oak Wilt: How to Prune Trees