Guide · Arkansas
When to Trim Trees in Arkansas: A Jonesboro Homeowner’s Calendar
Timing matters more than most people think. Prune at the wrong time and you can lose a year of flowers, invite disease into an oak, or leave weak limbs in place for storm season.
Requests go to independent local tree service providers. Tree Service Jonesboro is a free referral service.
For most shade and fruit trees in Arkansas, late winter, roughly January to early March before buds open, is the best time to prune. Oaks should be pruned while dormant to lower disease risk. Trees that flower in spring are pruned right after they bloom. Dead, broken or hanging limbs can be removed any time of year.
Why late winter works best
University of Arkansas Extension guidance puts the best time to prune fruit trees in late winter or early spring, January to early March, before active growth begins, and notes that shade-tree pruning is usually reserved for the winter months when trees are dormant. With the leaves off, it’s easier to see the tree’s structure, the bark is less likely to tear, and the cuts start to close as soon as growth starts in spring.
Sources: UA Cooperative Extension, Howard County: Pruning fruit trees; Arkansas Extension column on shade-tree pruning (reprint).
Oaks: prune only while dormant
Post oak and southern red oak are the big trees in many Jonesboro yards. University extension services advise pruning oaks only in the dormant season, because insects that can spread oak wilt can reach fresh pruning wounds during the growing season. Illinois Extension says that to reduce the spread of oak wilt, oaks should not be pruned from March through October.
Source: University of Illinois Extension.
Month-by-month tree care calendar for Northeast Arkansas
This calendar follows the extension guidance above and Jonesboro’s storm pattern. Use it as a guide; a tree pro may adjust timing for a specific tree.
| Month | What to do | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| January | Prime pruning for shade trees and oaks while dormant. Prune fruit trees. Check limbs over the roof after any ice. | Climbing ice-loaded trees yourself. |
| February | Finish structural pruning and dead-wood removal on oaks, maples and sweetgums. Book hazard removals before storm season. | Waiting until spring storms to deal with dead trees. |
| March | Finish fruit tree pruning before buds open. Walk the yard after storms for cracks and new leans. | Pruning oaks (Illinois Extension: no oak pruning March–October). |
| April | Prune spring-flowering trees like dogwood and redbud right after bloom. Remove storm-broken limbs. | Heavy pruning of oaks. |
| May | Storm season: check trees after each storm, clear hanging limbs from above. | Standing under damaged trees. |
| June | Light pruning only: dead, broken or rubbing limbs. Clear limbs off the roof and driveway. | Removing large amounts of live canopy in summer heat. |
| July | Light corrective pruning. Watch for wilting or browning that could mean disease or drought stress. | Pruning oaks. |
| August | Plan winter work: get quotes for pruning and removals. | Topping trees to make them shorter. |
| September | Remove dead wood you can see before leaves drop. Schedule winter jobs. | Pruning oaks. |
| October | Note limbs over the roof and lines for winter pruning. Rake leaves; brush can go to the city incinerator. | Pruning oaks. |
| November | Dormant season begins. Good month for removals and for scheduling oak pruning once leaves are off. | Leaving dead trees standing into ice season. |
| December | Dormant pruning of shade trees and oaks. Remove limbs that could load with ice over the roof. | Pruning fruit trees too early in a hard freeze. |
Why ice season matters in Northeast Arkansas
The January 2009 ice storm coated trees and lines with one to two inches of ice or more around Jonesboro and left parts of Craighead County without power for up to two weeks. Ice breaks long, heavy limbs and weak forks first, which is exactly what winter pruning removes. Thinning limbs over the roof in November and December is cheap insurance before the next ice storm.
Source: Craighead County Emergency Management, 2009 ice storm report (hosted by the National Weather Service).
Spring-flowering trees
Dogwoods, redbuds and other trees that bloom in spring set their flower buds the year before. Pruning them in winter cuts off this year’s flowers, so wait until right after they finish blooming.
Before storm season
Jonesboro’s worst tree damage has come in spring: the EF3 tornado of March 28, 2020 and the May 22, 2024 storm with gusts near 70 mph both brought trees down on houses. Winter pruning is the time to take off dead limbs and reduce heavy limbs over the roof, before the next storm does it for you. See the storm damage guide for what to do if a tree does come down.
Don’t top your trees
Cutting the whole top off a tree to make it shorter, called topping, causes weak, fast-growing sprouts that break easily in storms. If a tree is too big for its spot, ask a tree pro about crown reduction, or about removal and replanting something that fits.
Tree trimming timing FAQ
What is the best month to trim trees in Arkansas?
For most shade and fruit trees, late winter, January to early March, before buds open. Oaks should be pruned in the dormant season. Spring-flowering trees are pruned just after they bloom.
Can I trim trees in summer in Jonesboro?
Light pruning of dead, broken or hanging limbs is fine any time. Save heavier pruning for late winter, and avoid cutting oaks from spring through fall.
Is winter a good time for tree removal too?
Often, yes. With the leaves off, crews can see the tree clearly, there’s less brush to haul, and the work gets done before spring storms. In wet weeks, ask about lawn mats to protect soft ground.
Want your trees trimmed before spring?
Send a request to reach a local tree pro in Jonesboro. Late winter is the time to book pruning and storm-prep work.