The city-wide elm tree pruning ban will be back in effect starting April 1, giving you some time to finish up all elm trimming you need to do before the elm bark beetles begin to feed.

The pruning ban will last until August 31 and coincides with the time of year when the elm bark beetles that spread Dutch elm disease are most active. Fresh cuts from pruning can attract tiny insects, increasing the chance of infection.

A tree infected with Dutch Elm Disease. (file photo)

Parks Gardener with the City of Moose Jaw, Sarah Regent.

"Right now is the perfect time to be pruning your elm trees. It's also good for the health of the trees to prune them when they're dormant. Any trees that are maybe hanging a little bit low, have deadwood, or some cracking branches, now is the time to clean all of that up. Make sure you dispose of any elmwood that you cut out of your tree. If you have any elmwood, properly dispose of it, and you can come to Park's and Recreation to get your elmwood disposal permit."

It is illegal to use, transport, store or sell elm firewood. Regulations also restrict the use, transport, storage and sale of elm logs. Dispose of elmwood promptly and properly; check with your local municipality for designated disposal methods and locations. If you hire a professional to prune your trees, make sure they are qualified.

"Without the ban people could prune elm's any time of the year, and by pruning elms during the spring and summer months it increases the chances that your elm gets dutch elm disease because it's so attractive to elm bark beetles, so it encourages them to hop from tree to tree more often. Elm bark beetles are the ones that spread Dutch elm disease."

Once a tree is infected with Dutch elm, it can take any time between 3 weeks to 3 years before the tree is completely killed off. Signs of Dutch elm disease include wilting, yellowing leaves on one or several branches near the top of the tree, usually beginning in late June – report it to your local municipality. Infected wood spreads DED.