When to Prune Trees in Spokane: A Month-by-Month Schedule

When you prune matters as much as how you prune. The wrong cut at the wrong time can attract pests, spread disease, weaken the tree, or trigger uncontrolled regrowth. Here's the Spokane-specific calendar by species.

January – February: Prime Dormant Season

Best window for most pruning work in Spokane. Trees are fully dormant, sap flow is minimal, structure is visible without leaves, and disease vectors (insects) are inactive.

• Apple, pear, cherry — STRUCTURAL pruning
• Most deciduous shade trees — major shaping
• Conifers — light shaping (avoid heavy cuts)
• Cottonwoods, willows — major work (do it now or wait until next winter)

March: Last Chance Before Sap Rises

Window closes by mid-month for most species. Avoid maples, birches, and walnuts — they bleed heavily once sap starts flowing.

April – May: AVOID Most Pruning

Trees are pushing new growth. Pruning now stresses the tree, attracts pests (bark beetles especially), and can spread oak wilt and similar diseases. Only emergency hazard removal in this window.

June – July: Limited Summer Work

Some specific summer work is appropriate:

• Cherry — best time to prune to avoid silver leaf disease
• Apricot — same
• Light shaping of broadleaf evergreens after spring flush
• Hazard limb removal as needed

August: Mid-Summer Window Opens

Beetle flight ending. Some species can be pruned now:

• Ponderosa pine — light pruning OK after early August
• Spruce, fir — light shaping
• Fruit trees — water sprouts and suckers

September – October: Avoid Heavy Pruning

Tree is preparing for winter. Heavy cuts now can stimulate regrowth that won't harden off before frost, leading to winter damage. Light cleanup and hazard work only.

November – December: Dormant Season Begins

Major pruning resumes after first hard frost. Window opens widest in late December for most species.

Species-Specific Notes for Spokane

Maple, birch, walnut

Heavy bleeders. Prune in mid-summer (after leaves fully expand) or late summer to avoid sap loss.

Oak

Avoid pruning April–July to prevent oak wilt spread. Best work November–March.

Cherry, plum, apricot

Prune in summer after harvest to avoid silver leaf disease.

Apple, pear

Best in late winter (February). Light summer pruning OK for size control.

Spruce, fir

Light shaping in late winter or after new growth hardens off in midsummer. Never cut back into bare wood — won't regrow.

Ponderosa pine

Late winter or after August. Never April–July (beetle risk).

When NOT to Prune at All

• When the tree is drought-stressed (water deeply first, then prune later)
• Within 2 years of major construction damage to root zone
• When you don't have a clear pruning objective
• When the tree needs more than 25% canopy removed in a single year

Hazard Pruning Is Different

Dead, broken, or hazardous limbs can be removed at ANY time of year — safety always wins. The seasonal rules apply to structural and shaping pruning.