Pruning in winter will help ensure healthy growth of your trees and shrubs in the spring, but it doesn’t have to be complicated! Here's an easy guide to basic winter pruning:  

When to prune: Wait until late winter to prune, when you’re sure that temperatures won’t warm up enough again to promote buds.

Optimal pruning weather: Choose a day with mild temperatures and no snow or rainfall to perform your pruning. This will ensure that you’ll have a more pleasant experience and will also help your trees and shrubs avoid moisture-related disease or damage from freezing.

How to begin: Start by cutting out dead and diseased branches. Follow up by cutting out any unwanted lower branches. Then remove any overgrown or spindly branches that are inhibiting light and air from circulating around the crown of the plant. Finally, remove weak, small shoots and older stems.

A good rule of (a green) thumb: Always cut where one branch or twig attaches to another. Cut at a slight angle so that water will run off the branch and away from any buds.

To learn how to prune specific plants and trees such as hydrangeas, rhododendron, roses, grapevines and more, see this helpful article from Better Homes & Gardens. 

 

Let us handle all your winter pruning! From bushes to trees, plants to shrubs, we can prune your plants efficiently and correctly, so your lawn will be lustrous in spring! Call TPS for a free, no-obligation estimate on pruning, and ask about our Landscape Maintenance Program!