General Pruning Calendar When Should Plants Be Cut Back

Early spring – Trim back semi-woody perennials, like Russian sage and butterfly bush. Early summer – After spring-blooming plants have flowered, you can trim them back. For spring bulbs, wait until the foliage yellows. Summer – Deadhead annuals and flowering perennials.

What time of year do you cut back plants?

The best time to prune is after flowering. If the plant needs to be renovated, or severely reduced, this can be done late winter and early spring just before growth begins. Remove old flowers (deadhead) and cut back to healthy outward facing buds.

When should you cut back plants for winter?

Method for Autumn Pruning

Cutting plants before they go dormant encourages them to put out new growth, which is then killed by winter colds. In warm climates, cut back plants whenever you like to keep the garden neat. Regardless of where you live, cut plants to 3 inches above the ground.

Can you prune a plant too much?

Over time, continued over pruning may lead to branches that are too weak to tolerate wind or ice loads, or the plant may simply exhaust itself trying to replenish its canopy. ... So, although pruning may not kill your plant directly, over pruned trees and shrubs can die as a long term result of the associated stress.

What are the rules of pruning?

Basic Pruning Principles

Know when to prune. Do not prune in late summer or fall. ...
Know where to cut. ALWAYS prune back to or just above a growing point (branch or bud) or to the soil line. ...
Remove problematic branches first. Completely remove the following: ...
Thin out dense growth. ...
Prune regularly.

What month should you trim bushes?

The best time to rejuvenate large, overgrown shrubs is late winter or early spring (March or early April). Heavy pruning in late winter or early spring will reduce or eliminate the flower display for 2 or 3 years. However, rejuvenation pruning will restore the health of the shrubs.

What perennials should not be cut back in the fall?

Don't cut back marginally hardy perennials like garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), and Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum).

What plants should be cut back for winter?

Sedum and Ornamental Grasses should be left throughout the winter to add height and interest. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias), Ferns, and Heuchera (Coral Bells) should be left until spring because the foliage helps protect their crowns.

Should you cut back geraniums for winter?

Prune geraniums in preparation for winter.

After the growing season is finished, pruning back the geraniums will help them stay healthy and dormant during the colder months. Wait until the flowers have died and the geranium has gotten a little leggy, in late summer or early to mid-fall.

Should I cut back all my perennials for winter?

No. Although it's recommended to leave them in place until spring, perennials will usually survive if cut back. ... Some perennials, like mums, always winter best with tops left in place. When leaving perennial tops intact during winter, cut them back in spring before new growth emerges from ground level.

What happens if you don't prune your plants?

If a plant has not been regularly pruned and has been left to grow in whatever pattern, that plant may need what is called a severe cutting back which will result in the spring in lots of new shoots and fast growth.

How do I fix bad pruning?

The solution is to wait until winter and prune again using thinning cuts or reduction cuts. The former takes out an entire branch at its point of origin on the trunk, while the latter cuts a branch back to a lateral branch. Making the wrong cuts – The ultimate in bad pruning moves is to top a tree.

How much of a tree can you cut without killing it?

One wrong cut won't immediately kill your tree, but pruning incorrectly or too often can. If a tree repeatedly loses too much of its canopy at one time, it can become weak or even die from the stress. That's why you shouldn't trim more than 25% of a tree's canopy at one time.

How do you trim trees and shrubs?

Cut out wayward branches, take out thin growth, remove suckers (stems growing up from the roots) and water sprouts (upright shoots growing from the trunk and branches). Promote Plant Health: Trees and shrubs stay healthier if you remove branches that are diseased, dead, pest-ridden or rubbing together.

How does pruning promote growth?

Pruning also may indirectly stimulate growth of lateral shoots by allowing more light to penetrate the canopy of the plant. Pruning a young plant will stimulate vigorous shoot growth and will delay the development of flowers and fruit.

Where can I get pruning cuts?

Make thinning cuts just above parent or side branches and roughly parallel to them. Don't coat pruning cuts on shrubs with paint or wound dressing. These materials won't prevent decay or promote wound closure.

What month is considered late winter?

When is Late Winter? Late winter is 4 to 6 weeks before spring thaw begins. This could be any time in January to May, depending on your climate.

Is it too late to trim bushes?

Winter is usually the best time.

Dormant pruning is usually done in late winter, six to 10 weeks before the average last frost in your area. You can prune shrubs at any time of year if it's necessary—for example, to remove broken branches or dead or diseased wood, or to remove growth that is obstructing a walkway.

When should you cut back trees and shrubs?

Not all trees and shrubs should be pruned in the winter or early spring, however. Generally speaking, shrubs and trees that bloom on new growth should be pruned in the winter and early spring, while those that bloom on old growth should be pruned in late spring or summer (i.e., after their flowers fade).

Should hydrangeas be cut back in the fall?

It is easy to grow these hydrangeas because they bloom every year regardless of how they are cared for or treated. They can be pruned to the ground in the fall and they will emerge in the spring with bountiful blooms. ... Trim out dead and crossing stems and prune to shape the plant.

Do you cut hostas back in the fall?

They are often cut back during early fall cleanup. Hostas will flatten out and get mushy after they have been frosted a few times — that is when I would clean them up. While it is a good idea to cut back hostas in very late fall, I often run out of time and do not cut them back until spring with no harmful effects.

What plants should be cut back in autumn?

Fruit bushes such as currants and gooseberries will benefit from thinning out, while perennials that lack decorative seed heads should be cut back to the ground. Autumn is also the time to prune tender plants such as lavender and rosemary, which won't withstand pruning in winter.