As you’re preparing your garden for winter, it's tempting to get out the pruners and remove any wayward branches from your trees or shrubs. Without the leaves, it's easier to see the shape of the trees or shrub.
But Homegrown NH host Emma Erler, the lead horticulturist at Kirkwood Gardens, says it’s best to be patient and wait until spring — those branches will still be there!
So when, in general, should you be pruning your shrubs and trees?
“There are certainly gardeners that will tell you that the best time to prune is any time your pruners are sharp,” says Erler. “But there are some physiological reasons why it's better to wait to prune until late winter or early spring.”
Late winter or early spring offers a brief window of time when the plant is still dormant, and so are the diseases of those plants. The plant is getting ready to grow soon, so if you make a pruning cut or pruning wound, it will be sealed up quickly once spring arrives and the tree or shrub starts growing.
“The only shrub that I tend to prune in the fall, in my garden or in Kirkwood Gardens, is my smooth hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens, the Annabelle type,” says Erler. “This hydrangea is really cold-hardy. It forms its flower buds on new growth, so it's not going to grow its flower buds until next spring. I will often cut mine in the fall to within a foot or so of the ground above a set of buds.”
And permission is granted to remove any branch that's dead, diseased or damaged, at any time of year. It can be easier to find that kind of growth when there are no longer leaves on the plant in fall.
“I always think pruning is something to look forward to in the spring,” says Erler. “It's one of the first things I end up doing in the garden every year, and gives me something to look forward to.”
See you in the garden!
If you've got a question about your garden, you can email us or send a voice memo to HomegrownNH@NHPR.org.
Homegrown New Hampshire is a collaboration between Squam Lakes Natural Science Center and NHPR.
