City: Oak Pruning Should Stop in April

Don’t prune your oaks.

That’s the message Minnetonka wants people to hear as 2013 heads into April.

People should start pruning oak trees next month in order to avoid oak wilt disease, which kills trees. Anyone who needs to cut a living branch or remove an oak tree between April and October should spray the pruning cut or top of the stump immediately with latex spray paint.

It is safest to prune oak and other trees between November and March because insects and diseases are not active.

The City of Minnetonka noted that oak wilt researchers divide the year in three risk levels:

• April, May, and June: High risk
• July–October: Low risk (but not “no risk”)
• November–March: No risk/safe

Those who want to learn more about oak wilt can visit the city’s Tree Diseases page or contact Natural Resources Manager Jo Colleran at 952.988.8400.