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Tree Care by Season in Pollock Pines
Timing is half of tree care up here. The same cut that's fine in December can cause trouble in June. This page lays out the year in one table, then explains the "why" for each row.
Want a pro to walk the yard with you? Call (530) 248-6524 and we'll set it up.
The year at a glance
| Season | Pines, firs, cedars | Oaks and yard trees | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Oct to Nov | Pruning opens again in mid-October. Good time for fire-spacing cuts. | Deciduous oaks drop their leaves. Check limbs over roofs. | Do a snow walk-around. Put fresh mulch down only after fall rain. |
| Winter Dec to Feb | Pruning window for pines runs through January. Stop by February. | Best time for deciduous oaks, like black oak. | Wet snow on limbs. Ice. Stay out from under loaded trees. |
| Spring Mar to May | No pine pruning. Dead or broken limbs are the exception. | Light work only. Skip heavy cuts right after new growth. | Pitch tubes and dust. Late snow in March. Mow grass short. |
| Summer Jun to Sep | No pine pruning. Water deeply, not often. | Evergreen oaks are pruned now. Big oak limbs can drop on hot, still days. | Fire season. Dry spells. Keep woodpiles away from the house. |
Don't treat the table as a rule you can't break. A limb that's cracked in April needs help in April. These are the usual windows.
Why pines get a long "no" season
UC's bark beetle note closes the pine pruning season from February until the middle of October. That is eight and a half months of the year. The reason is beetles. They fly in the warm months, and fresh cuts are an easy way in.
It leaves a short, good window: mid-October through January. Book early, because every homeowner wants that same window.
Elms have their own no-prune dates (March to September), which only matters if you have one.
Why oaks go the other way
UC Master Gardeners in El Dorado County keep it simple: oaks that drop their leaves get winter cuts, and evergreen oaks get summer ones. Black oak is one that loses its leaves, so it's a winter job. The wounds close with less risk when it's cool.
The ISA guide adds a point for any tree. The ISA says wounds close best when cuts come before the spring flush, and it warns against heavy cuts right after it.
The snow months
Pollock Pines gets about 63 inches of snow a year on average. The big months are December (10.7 inches), January (15.4), February (13.6) and March (13.6). There are about 17 snowy days a year.
So fall is the time to fix weak limbs. After the first storm, a pro may not get to your road for days. See snow-load thinning.
The dry months
July averages only 0.08 inches of rain, and the average July high is about 89 degrees. That's when trees feel it, and when fire danger peaks. Three habits help.
- Water deep. UC says twice a month in a drought, enough to wet the soil about a foot down.
- Hold off on fresh mulch. UC says not to put it down in fire season, from the end of spring until the fall rains start.
- Mow annual grass to 4 inches or less.
What the pro does each season
| Job | Best months | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Limbing up pines | Mid-October to January | Read it |
| Snow-load thinning | October to early November | Read it |
| Dwarf mistletoe pruning | Mid-October to January for pines | Read it |
| Beetle checks | Spring and summer, looking only | Read it |
| Roof and chimney limbs | Before the first snow | Read it |
| Near power lines | Any time, by a qualified crew | Read it |
Dead, broken or diseased limbs can go in any season, the ISA says.
Prices don't change much by season
Cost guides don't show a big swing by month. They list $175 to $750 for a typical trimming job (Fixr), and $212 to $688 (Homeyou). Fixr adds $50 to $200, or more, for a rush. So the cheapest season is "before it's an emergency."
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