3,719. The Year Before Shemittah, In Temple Times and Now

Hilchos Shemittah v’Yoveil 3:8

Let’s say that a tree was cut down and a new tree grew from its stump. If the original tree was severed a handbreadth or more above the ground (3+ inches), the new growth is treated as a tree; lower than this, it is treated as a sapling.

Hilchos Shemittah v’Yoveil 3:9

All of the preceding halachos apply when the Temple is standing, as has already been discussed. Nowadays, however, we may work the land until Rosh Hashana. Not only that, even when the Temple is standing one may remove stones from fields, fertilize them, and hoe gourds and arid land until Rosh Hashana. One may likewise fertilize saplings, remove their dry leaves and branches, dust them, smoke them, sever their growths, prune their branches, apply repellant to them, wrap their branches, make shelters for them, water them, and oil and perforate their unripe fruit. These labors are all permitted in the year before shemittah until the Rosh Hashana of shemittah even when the Temple is standing.