“When should we schedule pruning in Arizona?” is a frequently asked question. Winter is an excellent time to prune non-native deciduous and evergreen trees, especially pines, which tend to leak sap if pruned during spring or summer. Most Arizona trees can be pruned year-round if the correct procedures are followed, but the best time to prune depends on the species and the goal. For example, fast-growing desert trees near buildings and sidewalks should be pruned sometime after spring growth and before the Arizona monsoon season to control size and spread without over-pruning . Palm trees should be pruned after the fruiting stem appears, to minimize litter, and date palms should be pruned in May or June before heavy fruit sets. You should incorporate all of these and other considerations into your tree management plan so you don’t have to worry about it once it’s in place.
Keep in mind that pruning is a science and mistakes are permanent and costly. Over pruning, poor selection, and improper cuttings will shorten a tree’s life, reduce its aesthetic and environmental value, and eventually make it a liability rather than an asset. It is important to consult with a knowledgeable arborist with experience and good judgment to ensure that the right things are done in the right order, at the right time, within your budget. Whether you, as an individual homeowner or a member of a homeowners association, actually receive the benefit of all that good judgment is entirely up to the men in the trees who are doing the work. A tree trimmer without the necessary education, knowledge, experience, and commitment to excellence can and will most certainly cause permanent damage to your trees. The men/women in the trees must be experts. Extensive and continuing education, training, and experience are needed to develop expertise in tree trimming. If a person has not made that investment, you are advised not to let them come near your trees with a chainsaw.
Trees are the oldest living entities on earth and each one has a potential value of thousands of dollars. Beautiful trees make a property more desirable and valuable in many ways. We recommend spraying Arizona olive trees to control fruit and pollen from January through March; the sooner the better to avoid the pollen that can be so annoying to allergy sufferers.