Guest post by Sarah Gerhardt

Winter is a great time of year to give certain trees and shrubs, as well as some climbers, a careful prune. Now that many plants are dormant and have dropped their leaves, you can clearly see their structure, which makes pruning a lot easier. Not all plants are suitable for winter pruning, but for those that are, a good winter prune will set them up for a healthy spring.

In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of winter pruning and examine some common plants that are suitable for this practice. We will discuss tools and how to approach winter pruning with confidence.

Why Prune in Winter?

Pruning while plants are not actively growing allows cuts to heal more cleanly, as there is little sap movement in the plants. This means cuts don’t ‘bleed’ as much, reducing water loss. Additionally, fewer pests and pathogens are active at this time of year. With leaves out of the way, you can see the skeletal structure of a tree, shrub or climber. This makes it easier to spot crossing or overcrowded branches and to make informed decisions about where to make cuts. 

While winter pruning can help reduce the overall size of a plant, what the practice really does is to encourage strong new growth in spring. Plants focus their growth on the tops of the main stems. Winter pruning sends the growth hormones down to the next set of buds from where you pruned. As a result, many plants “bush out” when you prune them; that is, they send out horizontal shoots further down on the branch as a result of the cut. That is why winter pruning is a great way to stop plants from becoming “leggy”, with bare bases and growth only at the top, often accompanied by reduced flowering and fruiting. 

Summer pruning serves a different purpose. It is carried out when plants are in full growth and often in flower or fruiting. Rather than encouraging new growth, summer pruning helps limit leafy growth and directs the plant’s energy into flower and fruit production in the same or the following season.

How to Winter Prune

Using the right tools makes a significant difference. Where possible, invest in high-quality tools and maintain them well. A good tool, maintained and used correctly, ensures clean and precise cuts, which prevents the spread of disease. 

Useful tools for winter pruning include secateurs, bypass loppers, pruning saws and pole pruners or pole saws for higher branches. Sharpening stones keep blades sharp, which minimises bark tearing and reduces strain on the gardener’s arms and hands. Make sure to sterilise your tools with an isopropyl alcohol solution between cuts, especially when dealing with diseased plant material, to prevent contamination.

Start by removing any dead, damaged, or diseased wood, as this prevents problems from developing once growth resumes. Branches that cross or rub against each other should also be taken out, as they can create wounds that invite infection. Overgrown shrubs benefit from careful thinning, which improves air circulation and allows light to reach the centre of the plant. Cuts are best made just above a bud or branch junction, ideally at a slight angle to prevent water from sitting on the cut surface.

Safety should always be a priority. Gloves, sturdy footwear, and eye protection are recommended. Pole pruners can reduce the need for ladders, but if a ladder is used, ensure it’s stable and in good working condition. Larger trees or high branches may be best left to a professional. 

Which Plants Can be Winter Pruned?

Most deciduous plants, which are those that drop their leaves in winter, respond well to winter pruning. This includes many fruit trees, such as apple and pear. When pruning deciduous shrubs or trees grown for their flowers, it is important to know when they flower and whether they bloom on old or new wood before deciding if winter pruning is appropriate. 

Prune evergreens only lightly in winter if at all. Leave heavier shaping until later in the year, because evergreens need their foliage in winter. Not all plants are suitable for winter pruning. Some plants should be pruned in spring, others are more suitable to be pruned in autumn. 

Let’s look at some major groups of plants that respond well to winter pruning.

Apple and Pear Trees

Established apple and pear trees benefit from winter pruning. It should be carried out when the tree is dormant, which is usually between November and mid-March. Winter pruning of apples and pears is done to improve the overall shape of the tree, which will give it the right framework to support flowers and fruits. 

For the winter prune, start by removing any dead, damaged, diseased and crossing shoots and cut off small shoots at the base of the tree. Any further pruning should be carried out to improve the overall shape of the tree. For more details on how to winter prune apples and pears, see this guide from the RHS.
Stone fruit in the genus Prunus, such as plums and cherries, almonds and apricots, are not suitable for winter pruning as they are susceptible to silver leaf, a fungal disease that is active in winter. Prune them in early or mid-summer instead.

Deciduous Ornamental Shrubs 

Winter is a good time to carry out renovative pruning of many deciduous shrubs. Renovative pruning is a hard prune that re-invigorates shrubs that have become too large or do not flower well anymore. Most deciduous shrubs tolerate full renovation, which is a drastic cutback where all stems are cut to 10-20 cm from the ground or from branches low down. Feed and mulch them in spring after renovation. Shrubs that benefit from this practice include fuchsia, hazel, willow, dogwood (Cornus), smoke bush (Cotinus), barberry (Berberis) and summer-flowering spiraea. They can be pruned between November and March.

While hard pruning stimulates strong new growth, it can result in the loss of flowers for a year or two on some shrubs, in particular those that flower on the previous season’s growth. Many early-flowering shrubs fall into this category. If renovation is not necessary, a lighter pruning immediately after flowering is a better choice, so that flowering in the next season is not affected. This applies to shrubs such as forsythia, flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), spring-flowering spiraea and kerria.

If you are keen to maintain the shape of a shrub or are unsure if it will tolerate a heavy cut back well, it is a good idea to carry out a staggered renovation. Spread pruning over two to three winters, rather than going for a heavy cutback in just one year. 

In the first year, concentrate on dead, damaged, diseased, crossing and rubbing shoots and do not remove more than half of the shrub. Cut back older stems by half to a vigorous side shoot or outward-facing bud. In the second year, thin out new shoots if they are excessive and cut back or shorten the remaining older branches. Remove any remaining older stems in the third year. Shrubs that benefit from staggered pruning include magnolia, witch hazel (Hamamelis) and Japanese maple (Acer palmatum).

Deciduous Ornamental Trees

Winter pruning of deciduous ornamental trees can be an effective way to improve tree health, manage its structure and promote vigorous growth during the growing season. While trees are dormant, their metabolic processes slow, making pruning a lot less stressful. This allows the tree to heal effectively before spring. Identify crossing branches and diseased wood. Removing these allows for better airflow and sunlight penetration throughout the canopy and improves the structure of the tree, making it more resistant to disease and wind damage. 

The ideal time to prune trees is late winter, just before spring bud break. Pruning earlier in winter comes with the risk of frost damage if the tree starts shooting after pruning. Pruning too late after spring growth has appeared means the tree is in active growth again, and the benefits of pruning in winter are lost.

Shrubs and Trees That ‘Bleed’ Heavily

Some deciduous plants heavily ooze sap (‘bleed’) when pruned. These include maples (Acer), birches, figs and grapevines. Pruning them while in active growth (spring to autumn) means they lose a lot of water, which weakens the plants. This is why pruning of these should be done in mid-winter, typically between  December and January.

Soft Fruit Bushes

Soft fruit bushes such as blackcurrants, gooseberries, redcurrants and blueberries should be pruned in winter when the plants are leafless and dormant. February is often a good time. Remove some old wood each year to encourage young branches so the shrubs keep producing fruit. 

Now is also the time to prune autumn-fruiting raspberries. Cut all canes down to within 5 cm of the ground between autumn and late winter. This encourages them to send up fresh new stems that will bear fruit in the coming autumn. Don’t prune summer-fruiting raspberries heavily now as they fruit on the previous year’s growth. They should be pruned straight after cropping is over in late summer. Only thin them out and tie them in now.

Certain Clematis

February is the ideal time to hard prune mid to late summer flowering clematis that flower on the current year’s growth, known as pruning group 3 clematis. As a general rule, these should be cut back to around 10 cm above ground level to remove long, old growth and encourage strong flowering shoots. Some can even be cut to ground level before new growth emerges. This includes C. texensis and C. viticella hybrids. Check for your specific clematis if in doubt.

Group 2 clematis are large-flowered hybrids that flower in spring and summer. They produce flowers on the previous year’s growth. These only need a light prune in February. Trim away weak or damaged growth, and cut other stems to just above the strongest, highest buds. This stops them from becoming top-heavy and improves flowering. You can prune them again after the first flush of flowers in spring. This will encourage them to flower again in late summer. To do so, prune to a pair of buds halfway down the stems. 

Wisteria

Wisteria needs regular pruning to remain manageable and to flower well. Without pruning, it produces long, vigorous shoots and plenty of leafy growth, often at the expense of flowers. For best results, it should be pruned twice a year, in winter and again in summer.

The winter prune is carried out once the plant is fully dormant and leafless. At this stage, cut all young side shoots back to three or four buds from their base. This tidies up the plant and ensures flowers won’t be hidden by leaves. 

After flowering, usually in July or August, prune the long, whippy shoots produced during the growing season back to around five to six leaves. This restricts the amount of leafy growth and thereby controls the size of the plant. It allows light to reach developing buds and improves the chance of flowers forming. 

Winter pruning is a valuable and often rewarding task that helps prepare the garden for the year ahead. By understanding which plants benefit from winter pruning and how to approach it thoughtfully, you can improve plant health, encourage balanced growth, and support better flowering and fruiting in the season to come.

About the author: Sarah Gerhardt is a gardener, linguist and punk musician based in Edinburgh. She was head gardener at the Dean Gardens, Edinburgh for 9 years and runs her own gardening business Gerhardt’s Garden Service. Find out more via her Linktree: https://linktr.ee/gerhardtsgardenservice