Q and A: Fall Pruning

So what can you prune in fall? It's OK to remove diseased, dead or broken branches any time of the year and especially in fall, when allowing diseased parts to linger on a tree over the winter could just bring on headaches the next spring. Gardeners sometimes prune heavy bleeders like birches and maples in the fall if their sap would fall on sidewalks and patios. Also, the need to remove branches that could, if laden with snow or ice, interfere with power lines or structures, justifies pruning at any time, including fall.