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Late winter is a good time for pruning some trees and shrubs, as wound closure for plants begins in the spring. Pruning deciduous plants in the winter promotes fast regrowth in the spring, as most plants are dormant during the winter. It's also easier to see the shape of deciduous plants in the winter, since their foliage is gone.
| WHEN | HOW | |
|---|---|---|
| Abelia | Autumn to early spring | Maintain a graceful arching form by cutting away some of the oldest stems at ground level. Pinch growing shoots in spring if you want bushier growth. |
| Azalea | Late winter or during the growing season | Before growth begins for the season, improve the form of the bush by shortening stems that jut out of place. During the growing season, pinch growing shoot tips where you want bushier growth. |
| Butterfly bush | Late winter | Cut all stems to the ground. |
| Chaste tree | Late winter or early spring | Evergreen species need little pruning beyond cutting out weak, twiggy, dead, or broken branches. |
| Crape myrtle | Late winter | Wherever the plant is not totally winter-hardy, cut off winter-killed wood or cut the whole plant to the ground. Little pruning is needed where this plant is cold-hardy. |
| Hydrangea | Mostly late winter | For smooth hydrangea, cut all stems to the ground. For bigleaf or oakleaf hydrangea, cut stems with old flowers still attached back to fat flower buds. |
| Smoke bush | Late winter or early spring, before growth begins | Needs little pruning unless you grow it for its purple leaves rather than for its flowers. In this case, prune severely to stimulate vigorous new growth each spring. |
| –from The Pruning Book, by Lee Reich | ||
Any pruning suggestions for
Any pruning suggestions for Bradford Pear? I have 1 on each side of my driveway. 1 got hit by lightning-we lost 1/2 the tree. Can I cut the majority of the tree down to where new growth is sprouting out? If so, when is the best time to do this?