Get ready for late winter and early spring tree pruning

Get ready to dive into your garden with excitement by pruning your plants while they’re still dormant in late winter and early spring! This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a beautiful day outside when it’s a bit too soon for other spring tasks. Plus, pruning during the dormant season lets you clearly see the form and structure of your plants, making it ideal for shaping trees and shrubs!

Pruning creates a wound that a plant needs to seal, and by doing it before growth starts, you ensure quick sealing during spring's rapid growth spurt. Pruning on cool days minimizes the stress on the plant. Additionally, pruned plants enter the growing season with an extra reservoir of stored food in their roots, thanks to the growth you remove.

Begin your pruning tasks by addressing evergreens with needles, such as pine, juniper, or yew. Also, prune broadleaf evergreens cultivated for their foliage, including boxwood, privet, hollies, and euonymus. Concentrate on refining plant shape, eliminating stray branches, or thinning out unwanted growth. Refrain from cutting into old wood, as it might not regenerate.

Prune shrubs that do not flower in spring, such as rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, hardy hibiscus, butterfly bush, and Peegee hydrangea. Make pruning cuts to shape the plants and thin the interiors of the shrubs. In the coldest regions, it is advisable to wait until the risk of frost has passed before pruning summer bloomers.

Confidently prune deciduous trees right before they leaf out. For early spring bloomers like redbud and dogwood, delay pruning until after the flowers have faded. Birch, walnut, and maple may bleed sap post-pruning, which typically doesn't harm the tree. However, pruning in the fall or early winter, before the sap starts flowing, effectively reduces bleeding.

Some trees, like oaks, crab apples and elms, have strict pruning windows (winter) to avoid giving pests and diseases access to fresh cuts. Check with our Board Certified Arborists at Gregory Forrest Lester, Inc. to confirm pruning windows for your area.