Hello! We hope that you had a very nice weekend and a Merry Christmas for those who celebrate it. It’s hard to believe it’s almost 2022. This week we are finishing up our blog series about winter pruning, and today we are goign to look at some of the trees that benefit from winter pruning and some tips on what to do.
11 Trees & Shrubs That Benefit from Winter Pruning
| Tree | When to Prune | Pruning Tips |
| Apple | Late winter/early spring | Prune it moderately Keep it open and the main branches should be well-spaced Avoid crotches that are sharp and v-necked |
| Abelia | Late winter/early spring | Maintain a form that is graceful and arching by cutting away old stems at ground Pinch the growing shoots in the springtime for bushier growth |
| Azalea | Late winter/early spring or during its growing season | Improve bush’s form by shortening stems that are jutting out During its growing season, pinch its shoot tips that are growing if you want a bushier growth |
| Butterfly bush | Late winter | Cut all the stems to ground |
| Chaste tree | Late winter/early spring | Cut out broken, weak, dead, or twiggy branches |
| Cherry | Late winter/early spring | Moderately prune tree’s vigorous shoots |
| Crape myrtle | Late winter | Anywhere the plant’s not completely winter-hardy, cut off the wood that is winter-killed or cut entire to ground. If the plant is cold-hardy, little pruning’s needed. |
| Dogwood | Late winter/early spring | Prune the shoots that are most vigorous moderately |
| Peach | Late winter/early spring | Remove 50% of the growth from last year. Keep it headed low. |
| Plum | Late winter/early spring | Cut diseased, dead branches Moderately trim rank growth |
| Smoke bush | Late winter/early spring prior to growth beginning | Unless you are growing it for the purple leaves instead of flowers, not much pruning is needed. Otherwise severely prune it to stimulate new growth in spring |
These are 11 trees that are prime candidates for winter pruning or pruning in the early spring. The one we didn’t include is hydrangea, and we are going to do a separate blog about that because of there are some special rules about that bush. Want us to do your winter pruning for you? Contact us here for a quote.
