There are a number of benefits to pruning your trees and shrubs in the winter, so put on an extra pair of gloves and grab those pruning shears.
Health
For most plants, the best time to prune is in late winter, before new growth begins. This leaves your plant with extra root energy reserves, and its freshly pruned wounds are exposed for just a short amount of time before new spring growth naturally begins the healing process. Conversely, pruning after the onset of new growth could limit the plant’s bloom potential for the year.
Pruning in the winter also causes less stress for your plants, which promotes healthy growth in the coming warmer months.
Because bacterial populations are lower and dormant in the winter, this method makes it easier to correct diseases that would be harder to take care of during the infectious times of spring and early summer, when there’s a higher risk of spreading disease to other limbs or other plants.
And, trimming in the cold reduces the oozing of sap from your freshly made cuts. Losing sap results in a reduction of vital plant energy, potentially limiting future growth and dwarfing your plants.
Taking care of your plants in the winter gets you outside, too!
Aesthetics
Quite simply, it’s easier to see your plants and their overall structure after all their leaves have fallen. This provides a great opportunity to shape your shrubs, trim your trees for ideal lighting, and increase your overall curb appeal.
Recent Comments