An advantage of pruning dormant plants during winter months is that it allows for better visibility of the plant’s structure. Without the leaves it’s much easier to see the plant’s shape and identify any dead, disease, or damaged wood that needs to be removed. Clearing out dead growth reduces the spread of disease and pests while also encouraging the plant to sprout new healthy growth.
Winter brings dormancy for many plants such as fruit trees, roses, perennials, and many grasses. During this time the plants are not actively pushing nutrients and water through the plant tissue and therefore are less susceptible to stress when pruned. How and where we make our cuts will also largely determine what kind of new growth will emerge during the warmer months. Understanding how your pruning affects each plant is critical for improving fruit production, flowering, health, and overall structure and size of a plant. When looking for landscapers near you in Sonoma County be sure you pick a company who uses proper horticultural principles when pruning.