10/2/2006
It really depends upon what you are pruning, but generally no. Montana has severe winters and pruning wounds will not have a chance to heal if made in the fall. Early fall pruning can also sometimes cause vigorous late shoot growth that will not harden in time for winter, resulting in winter damage to the plant.
Some trees that "bleed" excessively, such as maple, black walnut, and birch, are often pruned in the fall when the sap is down. This is primarily for convenience so that the profuse spring sap will not stain and otherwise mess up sidewalks, driveways, parked cars, and so forth. You could prune these species now, or you could wait until spring. But for most other plants, prune in the early spring before the buds begin to swell. An exception is spring flowering shrubs (those that flower with or before Syringa vulgaris, the common lilac). Because most of these set flower buds on current season's growth and flower on one year old wood, prune them right after flowering is completed. If you prune these shrubs now, you're removing next season's flower buds!
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