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Trees that flower in the spring—like dogwood, cherry, magnolia, and pear—should not be pruned during the winter. These spring-flowering plants grow buds on old growth, so you’ll actually remove what would’ve been gorgeous flowering foliage. Instead, wait to prune until right after they bloom, when the flowers fade.

Peach trees grow to be about 25 feet, so keep this in mind for pruning as well. If you plan to DIY, you’ll need to be comfortable working on a ladder. Without pruning, peach tree branches can sprawl nearly as wide as the tree grows tall, so make sure to plan pruning sessions at least once per year in the spring for controlled growth. And if you’re working on a ladder, be sure to follow all safety precautions, especially if you’ll be dealing with falling branches.

You may be looking to identify maple trees to use for home improvement projects. In that case, you can tell hard maples by looking at their leaves. Leaves will have a U-shaped dip, or sinus, between the points, or lobes, of the leaves. Leaves of soft maples tend to have V-shaped sinuses.

If you already have the cut wood in front of you, look for a light, uniform color to identify hard maple wood and check for variations of red, gray, or brown streaks and an overall darker color in soft maple wood.

No, you should never top maple trees. Topping injures the tree and leads to the rapid growth of a weak canopy, which can be hazardous to rooftops and utility lines. Removing the crown can also leave the interior bark vulnerable to sun damage, leading to insects and disease. A topped tree can also reduce property value and permanently damage the appearance of a tree.