Late Winter Pruning Guide

Late Winter Pruning Guide

late winter pruning

Late winter is actually a great time to prune trees and shrubs. Pruning in late winter actually encourages lots of new growth in the spring. It also gives you a chance to see the state of your trees and shrubs. Their limbs will be free of leaves and you will easily be able to see signs of winter damage. To help prepare you for your 2020 landscape plan, we have an easy to follow late winter pruning guide.

When you begin the pruning process, you will want to first remove all of the dead and diseased branches. Branches often break and become diseased when winter storm damage occurs. You’ll also want to pick an optimal day to prune. If it is too cold or wet, the pruned limbs can actually dry out as the temperature drops. Certain trees should be pruned first. These include Pine Trees, Juniper Trees, and Yew. You should also prune fruit trees in late winter. Late pruning can actually encourage a larger fruit crop in the summer.

Another benefit of late winter pruning is that there are no disease pathogens in the air. Your trees and shrubs will be less likely to catch airborne funguses and diseases. There is also no sap flowing through the limbs so when you trim the branches there will be no “bleed” which causes unsightly limb damage. While pruning, you’ll also want to remove any limbs that are crossing or rubbing together. If branches are rubbing together, it will wear away a spot where disease can slip in. If there are any extremely heavy branches, thinning them out will make them healthier and less prone to breakage. Trimming branches at the bottom can actually encourage thickness and new growth at the top of the tree. Pruning trees can also make your yard safer. Limbs that are weakened from winter damage are actually more prone to fall during summer. This can be very dangerous for family members who are using the yard.

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