Winter Pruning

Yes, winter is a great time for pruning your deciduous trees. Deciduous=trees that loose their leaves every year. In the summer time, it is often hard to see through the leafy canopy which branches need pruning. If you don't want to prune in winter, you can at least identify and mark with a ribbon or paint the branches that need to be removed.
Here are a few simple guidelines to pruning:

• first, remove any dead or dying branches back to healthy tissue (any time of year)
• secondly, remove any crossing/rubbing branches
• thirdly, remove any branches that are to low to walk/mow under, this may take a few years if the trees are young, as never remove more than 1/3 of the canopy in a season
• on fruit trees, remove branches that are growing toward the center of the tree, good air flow if essential, so keep the crown open in the center for healthy fruit trees
• always remove any suckers or water sprouts from the bottom of the trees
• horizontal branches on fruit trees produce more fruit than vertical, so when you can choose prune the vertical first
• never prune out the leader (the topmost vertical branch)
• start with a plan, don't go crazy and prune too much in one area, balance out the pruning throughout the tree
• many trees will respond to pruning by sending out numerous vertical 'water shoots' along the branches. Just snip them out with a pruners on trees near the house to neaten it up.