Winter Pruning Tips — Seattle’s Favorite Garden Store Since 1924 – Swansons Nursery

Winter is a fine time to prune many trees, shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses. Arguably, it’s the best time, as you can more easily see the “bones” of the garden and worry less about damaging smaller, neighboring plants. Plus, it gets you out of the house to do something physical. 

You want to avoid pruning during extremes of weather, of course, but in the Puget Sound area, our winters are often blessed with days of mild temperatures and even our fabled “sun breaks.” And the plants don’t mind, as long as it’s not way below freezing.

For types of pruning cuts and other basics, take a look at our previous Pruning 101 post by Kathy Boullin, especially her admonition: “Don’t stress it!” That is, don’t make a big deal about the timing. You can prune virtually any season, using some common sense. But winter and summer are ideal for any major work.

One thing to keep in mind: pruning before the main growing season (which here is typically April – June) tends to stimulate growth. Pruning after it tends to slow growth. So if you don’t want to overstimulate a fast-growing tree or shrub, it’s best to prune lightly in winter and perhaps a little more extensively in July or August.

So, what to prune in winter, and how?

Really, most plants can be pruned in winter, except for those which will be blooming in late winter or spring (Pruning 101 lists many of these). The plants will survive the pruning just fine, but you may lose many of your flowers for this year. Also, it’s wise to hold off on roses or tender plants which might still be susceptible to freeze damage. Wait for March or until after most hard freezes are past.

Trees & Shrubs

Winter is the time for major thinning or redirecting any tree or shrub that needs it. Removing dead, diseased, or broken branches, and simply clearing out clutter (just like inside your house), is a good winter project. And if you need to take out that major branch heading for the picture window, to redirect your tree in a more preferred direction, it’s easier to see and cut when it’s bare.