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Pruning River Birch (IL)

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From: Laura Bertram City: Arlington Heights, IL
I have a three-year old (12-15 foot) river birch in my backyard, and the lower branches make it difficult to mow around. What is the best time of year to prune these lower branches? Some websites say late spring, some say not in spring because of "bleeding". Thanks!
	Extension Message From: Jay Hayek Extension Specialist, Forestry Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences jhayek@illinois.edu
Regardless of species, I'm a staunch advocate of dormant season pruning (late fall to late winter), prior to pre-spring sap flow (March-April).
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