If you have live oaks or red oaks in your yard, when you trim them matters as much as how. Oak wilt, a fungal disease that has killed thousands of oaks across Central Texas, spreads through fresh wounds on the tree.
The fungus is carried by small sap beetles that are attracted to fresh cuts. They're most active in spring, roughly February through June, which is why the Texas A&M Forest Service recommends avoiding oak pruning during that window.
The safer time to trim oaks around Austin is from the heat of mid-summer through winter, roughly July through January. Every fresh cut on an oak should be painted with wound dressing or latex paint right away, no matter the season. It isn't for the tree's healing. It's to keep beetles away from the wound.
Storms don't follow the calendar. If a limb is broken, hanging, or resting on your roof, it needs to come down now. Leaving torn wood on the tree is worse than a clean cut, so we make the cut properly and seal it the same day.
Other Central Texas trees like pecans, cedar elms, and hackberries don't carry the same oak wilt risk and can be trimmed most of the year. Call José Tree Service at (512) 563-0445 for a free estimate and we'll help you plan the right timing.