winter pruning

While there’s a lot of landscaping tasks that need to take place before the first freeze, luckily tree and shrub pruning is not one of them. In fact, there are actually several advantages to winter pruning — for both you and the plant. Here are a few. Visibility. When leaves have fallen from shrubs and trees, you can see the branch structure better. Shaping and eliminating crossed branches becomes much simpler, as does identification of any damaged or diseased branches. Less pest/disease risk. Pruning cuts are like a temporary wound on a tree. In winter months, these cuts will have less exposure to potential negative effects. According to a blog from Arbor Experts in Dayton, OH, “Tree diseases are typically caused or spread by bacteria, fungi, parasites, and insects. Unless the weather has been exceptionally warm, these disease agents are usually dead or dormant during winter months. As a result, diseases are less likely to be transmitted through tree work done in winter. Some trees, such as elm and oak, as well as trees infected with fire blight, are best pruned in winter specifically to minimize the risk of spreading Dutch elm disease and oak wilt.” Better overall health. When a tree is in dormancy, cuts heal faster and cause less stress to the tree. “A tree’s normal reaction to pruning is to stimulate new growth and to close the wound made by the pruning cut. When a tree is pruned in winter, it doesn’t cause new growth until spring, ...