This way you can easily see the form of the tree and you are not cutting away any new growth that appears in spring. Never hard prune a walnut tree… If the tree is down, get it milled as soon as you can. When is the best time of year or when in its growing cycle to prune this tree? The only concern I would have, is the loss of the white colored sapwood to bugs if you let it lie too long (> 1yr?). What is the best time of year to cut a walnut tree down? Get your ducks in a row first (sawyer, time on his schedule, stickers, level place to sticker the lumber, etc.) Is there truth to this? The best time to prune walnut trees is the later end of the dormant season when the trees are still out of leaves. The bark does tend to stay on winter-cut trees better, though. Purely from a theoretical standpoint, the best time to prune Black Walnut is in the dormant season. In most species, the MC (sap) is actually a percent or so higher in winter. We prune them whenever the saw is sharp. This is particularly desirable after late spring frost damage. Being a dark wood, Walnut won't stain from fungal activity in summer the way lighter-colored woods do, so that's not a concern. Sap may run from the wounds, but this will not harm the tree. Being a dark wood, Walnut won't stain from fungal activity in summer the way lighter-colored woods do, so that's not a concern. Make sure you clean and sterilize your hand pruners and pruning saw beforehand so you don’t spread disease. SOMEONE correct me if I'm wrong. I'd wait until fall if it were me. I do my tree … When first planting a walnut tree, prune the top third of the tree back to a strong dormant bud. That said, there are no commonly known issues (insect or diseases) with pruning during the growing season. As far as milling into lumber, there's is no good or bad time for walnut, however, the longer (year or so) it lies on the groung, the more of the sapwood you may loose to bugs. In fact, I expect more trees have been pruned during this time frame than all other times of year combined. If you need any additional information, please don't hesitate to contact us at Bartlett Tree Experts. Thanks! As far as milling into lumber, there's is no good or bad time for walnut, however, the longer (year or so) it lies on the groung, the more of the sapwood you may loose to bugs. No other reason than bugs are gone in the fall, and you can have the log milled into lumber and begin drying long before bugs come back in the spring. But remember, the longer it sets, the more end checking you'll get and loss of lumber. After three years, the central leader and … As I said before, walnut can set as long (years) as it's convienent for you. Keep us in pics... A forum community dedicated to professional woodworkers and enthusiasts. When first planting a walnut tree, prune the top third of the tree back to a strong dormant bud. When is the best time for walnut tree pruning? You should also observe that the younger branches of walnut trees … I've personally seen/heard them pop and split 75% of the length in the summer heat during a lunch break....I prefer not to drop walnut in the summer heat BUT it can be done with greater risks. SOMEONE correct me if I'm wrong. It is vital that no more than 20 per cent of the crown is removed in any one pruning … “You can’t prune large limbs off every day, though,” she says. The professional world is merely divided on the best time at which to conduct the pruning. If you are wanting to keep the bark intact as much as you can, they say it's best to cut the tree down in the winter when the sap is down. Some pruning may also be done in late June or early July to remove multiple stems. :thumbsup: Timberking B-20 bandsaw mill, F350 FB dump, 20' trailer with loading arch, logging arch, Princeton piggyback forklift. Further north , less temps and more humidity I'd say less chance of problems. The bark does tend to stay on winter-cut trees better, though. I have one in my yard that I was going to cut down myself and make some slabs furniture out of. COOL keep up the work!!! then cut the tree down. For the first two to three years, allow the main leader to grow upward to form a central trunk. Walnut trees are prone to sap bleeding so it is imperative that any pruning is undertaken between mid-summer and early autumn. Ditto what djg said except that the sap is not "down" in winter. Dear Ms. S., you can prune back your walnut tree. Choose the strongest branches growing from the central leader to form the tree's scaffold branches. The reasons for this are: If you are too late when pruning back your tree in the winter, the cut wounds will bleed. Most foresters and hardwood forest landowners in the Central United States believe you must prune black walnut trees from late winter to early spring (February-April). Pruning black walnut trees is done to control their shape, size, branching form and to influence the grain quality of the wood they produce if it is intended to be harvested for lumber. Walnut trees are prone to sap bleeding so it is imperative that any pruning is undertaken between mid-summer and early autumn. When is the best time for walnut tree pruning? Training pruning: this pruning is done from the plantation until the sixth to seventh year, and aims to drive the plant and generate a productive structure that is efficient as quickly as possible. Pruning should be conducted when the tree is in its dormant season and its leaves have dropped to expose the branching architecture. Pruning is best done in the dormant season from January through March. Never hard prune a walnut tree: it will not tolerate it. JavaScript is disabled. Converting logs to lumber at your home or mine. However a friend told me that the wood would not be as good if I didn't do it at the right time of year. These are training pruning, production pruning, corrective pruning and rejuvenetion pruning. Depending on the area your from...here in Tennessee the temps get warm/hot enough that the mills aren't the happiest buying walnut due to the splitting that goes on from the heat and they have to keep water sprayed on them to keep them moist. The bark holds on better. Trim trees year-round in areas such as Florida and California because of the growing environment. www.Facebook.com/TomTheSawyerPortableSawmill, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. For the first two to three years, … Some loggers that do alot of walnut keep the plastic "staples" that they put on any checks showing to prevent further splitting. Come join the discussion about shop safety, wood, carpentry, lumber, finishing, tools, machinery, woodworking related topics, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Otherwise bugs will be attracted to the tree, which are likely to introduce diseases, putting the tree at risk. So once I drop this tree, how long should I let it sit for before I start cutting it up into boards? This bud will become the main growing shoot, creating a single trunk (or leader). So I suggest dropping the tree, if not already done, a month or so before you're ready to have it milled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The bark holds on better. If you are wanting to keep the bark intact as much as you can, they say it's best to cut the tree down in the winter when the sap is down. They are replacing lost tissue constantly and have plentiful sources of sunshine and water 12 months a year, Andersen adds. Seems like every time … OK.....I see how your getting the lower numbers now by bringing inside and using some heat....I thought it was all outdoor natural MC balancing. Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love, Tim. We have a forty year old Black Walnut Tree that needs to be pruned back. This bud will become the main growing shoot, creating a single trunk (or leader). Otherwise bugs will be attracted to the tree, which are likely to introduce diseases, putting the tree at risk. The dormancy period for black walnut trees typically runs from late November through late February or early March … We live on the coast of California.