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Wondering if you need to bundle up and head outside to tackle some winter gardening tasks? While temperatures are still warm and there may even be snow on the ground, it’s surprising to know what trees and plants in your yard need to be pruned to get them ready for this spring.
Many shrubs bloom on the new growth that emerges in the spring, so it’s beneficial to prune them in late winter to ensure they thrive after the cold weather has passed. Winter pruning helps clean up plants and improve their structure and growth pattern. Pruning dead, diseased, or crossing stems and branches at a strategic time (when plants are dormant) helps avoid stressing the plants and encourages flowers, fruits, and foliage as the air warms. This is because it helps plants use nutrients more efficiently and heals faster.
There are three popular plants to harvest in February, depending on your growing zone, and tips for doing it as efficiently as possible. Keep in mind that when harvesting plants in mid-winter, choose a mild, dry day to prevent damage from cold temperatures, mold and bacteria. Always use clean, sharp tools, such as pruners, loppers, one-hand saws, or pole saws, to reduce the chance of spreading disease.
1. Rose
February is the best time to harvest most rose varieties (except Ramblers) because they are completely dormant, so the process is less stressful for the plants. Late winter pruning sets the stage for healthy spring growth and abundant summer blooms.
First, check to see if the buds have started to bloom. If so, then you know it’s time to start pruning your roses. Remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches as well as crossing, weak, or dense stems to open up the center of the shrub. Then focus on cutting each remaining stem down to a third, pruning the outward-facing bud. Thin the interior to encourage air flow, which reduces the risk of fungal diseases. Finally, be sure to remove any dead leaves as well.
When pruning climbing roses, trim any side shoots that branch away from the main stems. If you want to reduce its length, just trim the main shoot. After pruning, tie the remaining shoots to their support structure to protect them and encourage growth in the desired direction.
2. Hydragina
Not all types of hydrangeas should be pruned during mid-winter, but this is the best time to trim the panels (Hydragia Paniculata) and smooth (H. arborescens) types. This is because these flowers bloom on new wood produced during the current growing season. Therefore, winter pruning will not sacrifice any flower buds.
Wait until the hardest frosts have passed before pruning these shrubs. Remove old blooms from last season and cut just above the small “eyes” or marks on the stems to shape the plant to your desired size. For smooth hydrangeas, cut all stems sharply to about 12 inches above ground level. For panicle varieties, cut the branches to about one-third of their height to encourage fresh growth.
This winter maintenance allows you to remove dead or damaged wood, eliminate fast interior branches, control plant dimensions and remove one or two old stems at the base to encourage new shoots that will produce more abundant flowers. When you prune panicle and smooth hydrangeas in February, you can expect to see clusters of cone-shaped flowers later in the season.
3. Butterfly bush
Cut back your butterfly bush (Budlia) in warm climates in February to encourage healthy, vigorous growth, which should result in beautiful blooms come spring. As with smaller trees, pruning helps keep this plant in shape so it looks good and will attract more butterflies. If they are not pruned regularly, butterfly bushes will grow legs and flowers will decrease.
Cut all stems by one-third to about 6 to 12 inches above the ground. If you need to manage a very large bush size, you can cut it to the ground. Avoid pruning too early in areas with late frosts, as this can damage fresh shoots.
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