A deadly new oak-tree disease can be prevented by pruning them in the dormant season (if needed) instead of spring or summer.

These trees have leaves with pointed tips and include black oak, northern red oak and pin oak. Trees in the white oak group have rounded leaf edges and are less susceptible.

Do you have an oak tree? You could save its life by putting your chainsaw down and not pruning it right away, according to the Michigan DNR.

The winter months are the ideal time to prune oak trees in Michigan if you don’t want to put them at high risk for oak wilt.