Pruning serves many purposes: it encourages bigger yields, ensures that newly planted trees and shrubs have a strong beginning, stimulates flowering, shapes plants, cuts away diseased wood, and fosters robust growth.
So why is December the perfect month for this gardening task? Well, with the leaves gone, you can clearly see the plant’s structure to determine where cuts are needed.
It’s also an opportune time to perform restorative pruning on dormant plants, rejuvenating those that have grown too large and unproductive.
Winter pruning is also a savvy move to curb or stop the spread of diseases. GreenPal’s co-founder, Gene Caballero, advised: “December is a key month for pruning certain types of plants, particularly in preparation for the growing season.”
Listed below are four plant varieties that benefit from a December prune and advice on how to tackle them.
1. Deciduous trees and shrubs
December’s dormancy creates an “ideal time to prune” for numerous deciduous trees and shrubs. Oaks, maples, and hydrangeas are examples of such plants.
Pruning during their sleepy phase reduces sap loss and lessens the chances of disease or bugs getting a foothold.
Gene suggested: “Make clean cuts just above a bud or branching point, and get rid of any dead, damaged, or diseased branches to back healthy growth.”
2. Fruit trees
Regarding fruit trees like apples and pears, wintertime snipping “promotes vigorous growth”.
Gardeners simply need to prune away any crossing branches to avoid damage and thin out the tree’s canopy to let light and air reach the inner branches, which will “improve fruit quality”.
3. Roses
The specialist has suggested that if the weather is “mild”, then December can be a “good time” to prune roses.
To do this, gardeners should trim the plant back by about one-third of its growth to shape it and remove any dead or diseased wood.
Gene pointed out that such pruning encourages “healthier growth and better flowering”.
4. Perennials
Cutting back many herbaceous perennials during this month is beneficial, especially if they’ve “finished flowering and look untidy”.
These perennials include varieties such as hostas and peonies. The expert advised: “Cut back the dead foliage to the ground to tidy up the plant and reduce the risk of pests and diseases.”
