Think twice before pruning trees in October – these are the 3 exceptions that can tolerate a light autumn trim

As the weather cools and many plants finish flowering and fruiting for the year, it can be tempting to reach for the loppers and give your trees a trim. Can you prune trees in October, though?

Well, although you can prune several plants in October, we haven’t quite reached the dormant season yet. Typically, that’s the time between late autumn and late winter – and since it's still relatively early autumn, it’s too soon for most trees.

Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t prune any trees in October – you’ll just need to be more careful about the ones you do cut this month.

Deciduous trees might be shedding their leaves this month, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready for their annual prune. The best time to prune apple trees, for example, is during the winter – and striking too early could cause them unnecessary stress.

‘Timing really matters when it comes to pruning,’ says Gareth Mitchell, gardening expert and founder of Tree2MyDoor. ‘If you cut trees back at the wrong time of year, you risk excessive sap loss or open the tree up to the risk of disease.

‘For most trees, a light prune is all that’s needed at this time of the year. It’s just enough to keep the natural shape and remove any dead or diseased wood to keep your plant healthy over winter.’

So, which trees can you give a light prune in October?

‘October is a sensible time to check in on Japanese maples and other acers to look for any dead, damaged or crossing branches before dormancy sets in,’ says Gareth.

Although it isn’t the best time of year to prune acers, you can focus on the three Ds (dead, damaged or diseased branches) this month. Gareth says acers have a naturally attractive shape, though, so they don’t need much pruning anyway.

If you do decide to give them a light trim, you’ll need a pair of loppers like these Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Active Bypass Loppers from Amazon for thicker branches.

Gareth also mentioned that birch trees benefit from a check-over at this time of the year.

‘Birch trees are at risk of sap loss when heavily pruned in late winter and early spring, when sap flow is at its peak, which makes October a much safer time to remove small, dead or damaged branches,’ Gareth explains. ‘Branches that are crowded and rub together can be an entry point for insects and disease, so it’s best to remove them.’

For smaller branches, you can use a pair of anvil or ratchet secateurs like the Wilkinson Sword Comfort Ratcher Pruner from Amazon (they’re among the best secateurs I’ve tried).

There’s one more exception for October tree pruning: freshly planted trees.

‘Newly planted trees may also need minor corrective pruning to remove broken growth and balance out their shape,’ says Gareth.

Tree pruning kit

So, it’s best to avoid pruning the majority of trees in October, since it’s still too early – but you can give newly planted trees, birches and acers a light tidy if you really need to.