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Sep 12, For that reason, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) suggests to not start any pruning until at least the first frost. “The risk of transmitting oak wilt through a pruning wound this time of year is low” says Tivon Feeley, with the Iowa DNR’s forest health program.

Feeley says symptoms to look for on infected trees usually include leaves turning a bronzed brown along the outer margins of the leaves.

“However, to reduce the risk even further, it is best to wait until the first hard frost to start pruning.”. Winter (December through February) is the best time to prune oak trees in Iowa.

Pruning oak trees in winter greatly reduces the risk of an oak wilt infection. Oak wilt is a fungal disease that is lethal to many oaks. It can be spread from infected trees to healthy trees by sap-feeding beetles (“picnic bugs”).

Dec 07, Winter, December through February, is the best time to prune oak trees in Iowa. Pruning oak trees in winter greatly reduces the risk of an oak wilt infection.

This timing will help the oak tree recover quickly and will minimize risk.

Oak wilt is a fungal disease that is lethal to many oaks. It can be spread from infected trees to healthy trees by sap-feeding beetles called picnic bugs. Oak trees are best trimmed in the winter between November and March. Oak trees are dormant in winter and are less likely to be negatively affected by pruning when in winter cut tree wedges 8. That being said, branches which are dead, damaged, or diseased should be Estimated Reading Time: 8 mins.

It is cold out, but now is a great time to be pruning oak trees. If you have oak trees on your property the best way to prevent infection by the disease called oak wilt is to only prune your trees during the winter months.

This disease has been present in Iowa for many years, and it is caused by a fungus. The trees in Iowa most commonly impacted. Apr 07, AMES, Iowa – Pruning oak trees from April to July exposes them to a high risk of contracting oak wilt, a serious disease that can infect and kill a range of oak species. Oak wilt is caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum (previously Ceratocystis fagacearum).