5 Tips To Winter Pruning

09 Jul 5 Tips To Winter Pruning

Winter is not just a time for cosying up by the fire; it’s also a crucial season for garden maintenance. One of the most important tasks you can undertake during these colder months is pruning your plants. Winter pruning helps promote healthy growth, enhances the shape of your plants, increases flower and fruit production, and prepares them for a vibrant burst of life when spring arrives.

Here’s a look at the ins and outs of winter pruning:

1. Gather the right tools: Ensure you have sharp, clean pruning shears, loppers, and a pruning saw for thicker branches. Sterilise your tools with rubbing alcohol to prevent the spread of disease.

2. Identify what to cut: Look for dead, diseased, or damaged branches and remove them first. Next, trim any branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other, as these can cause wounds and increase the risk of disease.

3. Make clean cuts: Always make clean cuts at a slight angle just above a bud or branch. This technique encourages new growth and prevents water from pooling on the cut surface, which can lead to rot.

4. Know your plants: Different plants have different pruning needs. For example, fruit trees like apples and pears benefit from winter pruning, while spring-blooming shrubs like lilacs should be pruned immediately after they flower. Research the specific needs of your plants to ensure you’re pruning them at the right time.

5. Don’t overdo it: While pruning is beneficial, over-pruning can stress your plants. Aim to remove no more than one-third of the plant’s total growth in a single season.

Winter pruning is an essential part of garden maintenance that sets the stage for a healthy, thriving garden come spring. By removing dead and diseased wood, shaping your plants, and encouraging new growth, you’re ensuring that your garden will look its best in the warmer months.

By implementing these small changes into your winter garden maintenance your garden will be looking its best come summertime! Should you need compost, topsoil, or grass, chat to us on (076) 399 4688 or email us on office@evangrass.co.za.