Pro Winter Pruning Tips

The weather this winter so far has been all over the place. Areas of the country that recently hit record high temperatures are now in the teens. Temperatures are erratic. It seems a trend that may continue.

So what, if anything, do we attempt to prune heading into winter's worst months of January & February? As usual, we checked with our local county extension office and got the following tips from a professional landscaper for pruning evergreen shrubs in winter.

Turns out, winter is a good time for pruning evergreen shrubs, if the weather cooperates. Pruning helps promote new growth and is important to keep your evergreen shrubs healthy and uniform in appearance.

It was emphasized to only prune on dry days.  Pruning when it’s still wet or even moist (morning dew) will greatly increase the risk of various diseases on the exposed fresh cuts.

There’s not much pruning needed for evergreen shrubs. Focus on removing any dead, smaller or over-grown stems or twigs. This will help increase air flow and light throughout your evergreen shrubs, encouraging healthier growth.

Prune at the joint right at where one twig or stem branches off from another. This is referred to as the ‘node’.

Pruning flowering evergreen shrubs, such as azaleas, should be limited to cleaning up the overall shape. Once new growth starts, simply pinch off any new stems. This will help your azaleas become fuller.