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oak tree trimming #924615

Asked February 15, 2026, 4:47 PM EST

Is it still ok to cut branches on oak trees this year or too late?

Benton County Iowa

Expert Response

Ideally, this pruning of oak trees should be done as soon as possible. We recommend all pruning be finished by the end of February to reduce the risk of transmitting oak wilt.
More information can be found here: https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/pruning-oak-trees-avoid-oak-wilt

--Aaron

Aaron Steil Replied February 17, 2026, 11:50 AM EST

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This work is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension grant no. 2020-41595-30123 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

oak tree trimming #924615

Expert Response

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