When to start Pruning your flowers for Winter

[Peekaboo]

Winter is a good time to prune most plants because they are dormant and there is less risk of pests and pathogens entering the plant through the cut. You can prune 1–2 months before spring, usually in late winter, just before new growth begins. This timing allows the plant to be fully dormant while still ensuring that wounds heal quickly when growth resumes. You can also try to schedule pruning on milder winter days to avoid extreme cold, which can stress pruned plants.

Here are some tips for pruning different plants in the winter:

Trees and shrubs
Prune for shape during dormancy, removing unwanted stems and crossed branches. For example, you can prune magnolias in February to define the plant's form before the buds become plump and bloom indoors.

Perennials and ornamental grasses
Cut back in late winter to clean up beds.

Wisteria
Prune in February by shortening each shoot to 6–8 buds to encourage spur-like branches with flower buds in spring and summer.

Clematis
Prune group 3 clematis in February by cutting the plant down to 10 cm above the ground to remove old growth and encourage strong flowering shoots. You can also cut back Texensis and viticella hybrids to ground level before new growth appears