Photo: BotBln, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Pruning guide · Tree
Service tree: when and how to prune
Sorbus domestica
Service tree is best pruned in January–February.
| Pruning months | January–February |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Outside it |
| Flowering | May |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees and birds |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
Service tree: when to prune it?
Hardly necessary. Prune in January–February, in dry, frost-free weather.
Service tree: how to prune it?
- In the early years, build up a single trunk and an open crown with a few main branches.
- Remove dead, diseased and crossing branches, and suckers at the base.
- Clean your pruning tools with alcohol, especially after cutting out diseased branches.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: January–February.
- Never remove more than about a quarter of the crown at once. Better a little every year.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- The pruning months fall outside the nesting season (15 March–15 August), so you won’t disturb nesting birds.
- Service tree flowers in May, when it attracts bees.
- In September–October birds eat the fruit: leave some on the plant or on the ground.
- Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.
Common mistakes
- Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.
Caution: Do not prune in summer or in damp weather: the bacterium that causes fire blight then spreads easily through pruning wounds.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Service tree · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.