Winter is a good time for tree pruning, according to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tree health experts.

Winter pruning greatly reduces the likelihood of spreading oak wilt and other tree diseases, and minimizes pruning stress on trees, experts said.

“The best time to prune trees in Wisconsin isn’t in April, it’s during winter when a tree is dormant,” said Don Kissinger, DNR urban forester. “Insects and diseases that could attack an open wound on a pruned tree aren’t active in winter. And without leaves, broken, cracked or hanging