Why to Prune Your Trees for Winter

Winter is that time of year when most of us stop thinking about our yards, except for maybe decorating an outdoor spruce with twinkly lights in December.

While that’s totally understandable, it makes good sense to pay attention to a few things over winter, especially, getting your trees pruned and your hedges trimmed. Trees halt their active growth during the cold winter months – a phenomenon known as dormancy. 

“Because trees and shrubs store their energy in the roots throughout dormancy, they do not experience the same shock if you were to prune heavily in the growing season. Trees can become stressed if too much leaf area is reduced while actively growing because this is how trees make their energy” says A Kolk, Red Seal Landscape Horticulturist, ISA Certified Arborist and consultant arborist for Kayben Landscaping.

Five good reasons to prune trees and shrubs in winter or early spring:

Winter is often an ideal time to prune your trees and shrubs because:

1. They are not actively growing.  Many trees should not be pruned while actively growing so pruning during dormancy is best.
2. Pruning after leaf drop makes it easier to spot dead, diseased and crossing branches that should be pruned. The structure of the crown is more visible once the leaves have dropped and makes shaping the tree easier.
3. Shrubs that flower on ‘new wood’ are best pruned in dormancy to get the best flower show the following year. (Shrubs that flower on ‘old wood’, should be pruned after they bloom in the spring otherwise you will prune off the flower buds that have already been set.)
4. Because the ground is frozen in winter and your other plants are dormant, there’s less chance of causing damage to the surrounding plant material or tracking up sod during the pruning process.
5. You head into spring with an important piece of your yard care already done, freeing up your spring to plant your garden or enjoy your favorite outdoor activities.

Benefits of winter pruning:

Apart from getting your trees and shrubs all set up to grow in the spring, pruning them in winter offers a few other benefits too:

• The lack of leaves makes it easier to see the shape of the trees and shrubs, so that you can trim any wayward branches or those that may potentially cause damage to your property when they grow further.
• You can easily identify any parts that have been damaged by pests or diseases and take preventative measures before they become active again in spring.
• Frozen ground can help prevent damage to your grounds in the drop zone – especially while pruning heavy or high branches.
• Many landscape companies that are fully booked throughout the spring, summer and fall will have time to prune your trees and shrubs.  If they are also a snow removal company, they keep plenty of staff throughout the winter who can tend to your trees between snowfall events.

Pruning is a skill that requires knowledge of how trees and shrubs grow along with expertise in using a variety of different tools. While it can be easy to prune short shrubs yourself, taller trees and high branches require professional tree trimmers to make sure the work is carried out safely.

Kayben Landscaping offers year-round services and have permanent staff, trained to the latest safety standards, who can help take care of your grounds over winter. Get in touch with us today to learn more.