Insights, Tips, and Tales

Late Winter Pruning Guide for a Beautiful Yardscape

_ëîé_1

Late Winter Pruning Guide for a Beautiful Yardscape

Late winter is the best time to prune most shrubs and trees. It’s during these months that most of the plants in our area go dormant, with little to no plant growth. Pruning at this time helps prepare plants for the year ahead, so they can focus their energy on healthy growth. Another benefit to winter pruning is that the lack of leaves allows us to more easily identify branches and limbs requiring trimming or outright removal.

While many of the plants in our yards are best pruned in January and February, we should note that some, especially flowering trees and shrubs, may be on a different calendar (see below for details). But no matter the time of year they require trimming, it’s a critical task to undertake.

So, the lawn care professionals at Waynes put together the following primer to provide general insight into how and where you should prune. Doing so with care helps ensure a beautiful and healthy yardscape for the year to come and many thereafter.

Why Not Just Let Nature Take Its Course?

As we noted above, pruning helps create healthier plants, but how? Especially when it comes to trees, removing dead or diseased branches, as well as those limbs that are simply competing for space, opens up the canopy to let light and air filter throughout the entire tree. Such thinning directs the growth of the tree and, if you choose, allows more sunlight to reach your grass, thereby creating a lusher lawn.

There’s also a safety component to pruning trees. Not only are you bringing down diseased or dead branches before nature does (and sends the wayward limbs crashing against a house or fence), but you’re also helping the tree itself grow stronger and more resistant to wind damage.

Cold-Weather Pruning Tips You Must Know

Like with any skill, start with the basics. Here are a few general pruning tips that will apply to most — if not all — of your trees and shrubs.

  1. Make sure it’s not too cold or too wet. Pruning on a mild and dry day not only provides a pleasant workspace, but it helps keep your plants from becoming exposed to waterborne diseases or being damaged by frigid temperatures.
  2. Prune the dead spots first. It’s common for a few branches not to survive. These are a must-go, both for the health and visual appeal of the tree.
  3. Remove any overgrown or undersized branches that aren’t contributing to the shape of the tree.
  4. Be careful! Not only will you be using sharp tools, you may also be using them to cut above your head. That said, take care to study how a branch might fall, so it doesn’t, you know, come crashing down on you.
  5. Lastly, while pruning is as much an art as a science, there are both learned skills and personal preferences that play into the job – certainly more than we can cover in this space. That said, we encourage you to research a little further based on specific plant varieties and their pruning needs.

Pruning Flowering Shrubs and Trees

When to prune your flowering shrubs and trees depends largely on whether blooms are on last year’s growth or new growth. If the former and you trim branches in winter, you’ll eliminate the flowers for the year. Instead, prune right after the plant finishes blooming. Early blooming trees and shrubs include certain varieties of the following:

  • Azalea
  • Flowering crabapple
  • Forsythia
  • Hydrangea, bigleaf*
  • Magnolia
  • Mountain laurel
  • Rhododendron

A few examples of flowering shrubs that need pruning in late winter include:

  • Butterfly bushes
  • Crape myrtles
  • Deciduous holly
  • Dogwood
  • Hydrangeas, smooth leaf*
  • Roses
  • Wisteria

Pruning these flowering plants before they start to bloom encourages lots of new and healthy flower growth come spring and summer.

*Note: Different types of hydrangeas may have specific guidelines for how to prune. For more information on pruning your hydrangea, check out this resource!

Pruning Non-Flowering Trees and Evergreens

Like those that flower, not all non-flowering trees and evergreens need pruning in late winter. Some of the plants that do need trimming around this time include:

  • Evergreen shrubs (such as holly and boxwood)
  • Evergreen trees (spruce and fir)
  • Oak trees
  • Maple trees
  • Katsura trees
  • Sweetgum trees

While dead, broken, and diseased branches can be removed year-round, trimming unwanted branches to promote healthy growth is best done before spring for these varieties.

Nurturing Your Yardscape

Tending to trees and shrubs is a great way to provide character and depth to your lawn. Another important component of your landscape to consider is a lush carpet of green grass. That’s where Waynes comes in!

Our Service Professionals can create a “Barefoot Good” yard, perfect for warmer weather and all of its wondrous activities. Contact Waynes via email to get a free estimate, or give us a call at 866-WAYNES1.

Latest from Waynes Blog

6 Tips for a Pest-Free Home This Winter

As temperatures drop, pests like rodents, cockroaches, spiders, and wildlife are looking for a warm place to bundle up. Don’t let it be your home! Stay cozy and pest-free with these cold-weather tips: Seal Up Entry Points: Check for cracks and gaps around doors, windows, and foundations. Even the smallest openings can invite unwanted pests…

Learn More >

Waynes Pest Control Acquires Gulf Coast Pest Control (FL)

Waynes Pest Control and Gulf Coast Pest Control Unite to Expand Service in the Florida Panhandle On September 11, 2024, Waynes Pest Control proudly merged with Gulf Coast Pest Control to expand our service area and offerings in the Florida Panhandle. This partnership allows us to continue providing the exceptional customer support and high-quality pest…

Learn More >

The Journey to Our 1000th Truck

At Waynes Pest Control, we’ve always believed that success is built on trust, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to service. Today, we’re proud to celebrate a monumental achievement: our 1,000th truck is officially on the road! This milestone marks more than just an increase in numbers—it’s a testament to the relationships we’ve built with…

Learn More >

Honoring Our Heroes this Veterans Day

At Waynes Pest Control, we proudly honor the service and sacrifice of all U.S. military veterans. On this Veterans Day, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the brave men and women who have served, defended, and sacrificed for our nation. Your unwavering courage, dedication, and commitment have kept us safe, and we are truly thankful…

Learn More >

Wildlife Removal: Your Guide to Safe and Effective Solutions

When unexpected wildlife makes its way into your home, it can lead to many challenges, from property damage to health risks. Wildlife removal is a crucial service that helps homeowners and businesses deal with these intrusions safely and humanely. In this guide, we’ll dive into the essentials of wildlife removal, covering the importance of professional…

Learn More >

Rodent Awareness Week: How to Protect Your Home from Winter Rodent Infestations

As temperatures drop and the cozy indoors become more inviting, so do the chances of unwanted rodent guests entering your home. In honor of Rodent Awareness Week, Waynes is here to alert homeowners to the surge of rodent invasions during the fall and winter months. An estimated 21 million homes are invaded by rodents each…

Learn More >

microsoftteams-image

Waynes Expands Wildlife Divison

Waynes Pest Control is proud to announce the launch of our new service division called Wildlife Control. This service is now available in our service

Learn More >

Prioritizing Pest Control for Your Business

If your company is planning for the upcoming year, now is the perfect time to bring fresh energy to all areas of your business. Waynes is ready to help your business thrive in 2025! Keeping your space pest-free creates a comfortable environment for your employees, customers, and clients. Not to mention, pests can cause problems…

Learn More >

Keep Bats Out: Safeguard Your Commercial Property in Alabama and Tennessee

Bats play a crucial role in our ecosystem, with Alabama home to 16 species and Tennessee to 15. However, when these winged creatures invade commercial properties, they can become a significant problem. Despite their protected status, bats can cause severe structural damage, health risks, and costly repairs when they take up residence in your business….

Learn More >

Scroll to Top