Cool weather in North Florida often inspires gardeners to grab the pruners and “clean up” the landscape. But, winter pruning should be selective and intentional. The right cuts can improve plant health, structure, and flowering, while pruning the wrong plant at the wrong time can reduce blooms or increase cold damage. Timing in winter is crucial. Many plants slow down or go dormant, which can make it easier to see branch structure and remove limbs. Some plants benefit from dormancy pruning, because it can help reduce pest and disease pressure and prepare plants for a strong flush of spring growth. However, getting lopper-happy too early can trigger tender new growth to emerge that become susceptible to late-freeze injuries.
So, what is safe to prune currently? You should stick with dead, diseased, or damaged trees or shrubs. These cuts improve plant health overall and reduce placement for insects and pathogens to lay waiting during the winter months. Deciduous fruit trees often benefit from a winter haircut as well. Trees that drop their leaves, like plums, apples, and pears will benefit from winter pruning by opening their canopy for light and air and encouraging stronger spring flushes.
There are a few plants you should leave alone until the spring. Many spring flowering shrubs like azalea and camellia should be left until spring. This is due to their late winter blooming patterns and should be pruned right after their flowering window. Tender, cold-sensitive plants and evergreens that you are not trying to shape should also be left until the warmer months.
Overall, timing matters when considering cleaning up your landscape during the temperate months. The best pruning principles are knowing why you’re pruning (removing dead wood, etc.) and not removing more than about twenty-five to thirty percent of the live canopy in one growing season. Making correct, angled cuts to promote healing of the pruned areas is also very important to promote growth to come back to the plant.
Winter pruning in North Florida is not about “tidying” everything at once, it’s about timing and purpose. By being selective of what you are cutting and when to leave plants along, you will set your landscape up for healthy growth and beautiful blooms this spring.
For more information:
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/gulfco/2019/01/09/winter-pruning/
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/marionco/2020/01/16/pruning-in-winter
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/pruning-when.shtml
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