---
title: When to Prune Ash Trees: Late Winter and Dead Wood
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/when-to-prune-ash-trees/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

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- When should ash trees be pruned?

# When should ash trees be pruned?

Prune ash trees in late winter while they are dormant, and take dead wood and hazards off at any time. Thin to reduce the weight of long limbs and take out dead and crossing branches; do not top.

## Timing and the kinds of ash here

Ash in Northern Nevada yards is often green ash, Modesto ash or Raywood ash. All are deciduous, so the dormant window applies, which means late winter, before the spring flush. Hazards and dead limbs are cut when found. The species page is [ash trees: Modesto, Raywood and green ash](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/ash/).

## What good ash pruning does

Thinning lightens the long limbs and clears deadwood and crossing branches. Topping an ash to stubs leaves weak regrowth and open wounds; see [why topping is not pruning](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/why-tree-topping-is-not-pruning/). A tree this size is also governed by the amount rule: about 15 to 20 percent of live wood at a time, according to UNR Extension, which is written for fruit trees but is a useful ceiling.

## Emerald ash borer

We make no claim here about where emerald ash borer is or is not in Nevada. The Nevada Department of Agriculture is the source for that status, and we have not sourced it, so check with the department. We do not spray or inject trees. A thinning crown can have many causes, including water and roots.

## When removal is the answer

A mostly dead ash, trunk decay, lifted roots or a split union over a house is a removal question. See [large tree removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/large-tree-removal/). A certified arborist assesses it at the free estimate: [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243).

## Before you book

Walk the tree and note any dead limbs, any thin or dying top, any bark that is peeling or cracked, and which limbs reach the roof. Photos from the ground help. A certified arborist assesses the tree before the crew starts, and the free estimate says what comes off. If part of the crown has died, the arborist can say whether pruning, dead wooding or removal fits.

### Sources

- [USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System: Fraxinus pennsylvanica](https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/frapen/all.html) (read October 1, 2026)
- [University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Getting Started with Backyard Fruit Trees in Northern Nevada](https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=3171) (read October 17, 2026)
- [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Pruning Your Trees](https://www.treesaregood.org/treeowner/pruningyourtrees) (read October 17, 2026)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [Pruning and trimming questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/)
- [Ash trees: Modesto, Raywood and green ash](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/ash/)
- [Why topping a tree is not pruning](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/why-tree-topping-is-not-pruning/)
- [Large tree removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/large-tree-removal/)

### Terms on this page

[Arborist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/arborist/)

[The full glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)

### All pruning and trimming questions

- [Pruning and trimming questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/)

## More pruning and trimming questions

[How high should branches be raised over a driveway or roof?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/how-high-to-raise-branches-over-a-driveway-or-roof/) [Does pruning help a tree get through a drought?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/does-pruning-help-a-tree-in-a-drought/) [When should maples be pruned in Northern Nevada?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/when-to-prune-maples/) [When should elms be pruned in Northern Nevada?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/when-to-prune-elms/) [When should birch trees be pruned?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/when-to-prune-birch/) [When should pine trees be pruned in Northern Nevada?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/when-to-prune-pine-trees/)

[Previous question: When should oak trees be pruned in Northern Nevada?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/pruning-and-trimming/when-to-prune-oaks/)