Now is the time to start some of your winter pruning. Winter pruning is beneficial to some plant material and harmful to others. It is important to properly identify the plant that you are considering pruning. Most flowering shrubs should be pruned immediately after they are done flowering. Since almost all flowering shrubs bloom between spring and fall, winter pruning is not the optimal time to prune these plants. When you prune plant material immediately after it blooms, you reduce the damage potential. Pruning plant material months after it is done blooming can remove buds from the plant. If you prune your plant material at the wrong time of year, you may reduce the quality and quantity of the flowers in following season.
Winter pruning can be done to the following plants:
Cranberry Cotoneaster should be pruned anytime during the winter when the conditions allow. It is best to prune this plant when it is not covered by snow.
Crimson Pigmy Barberry should be pruned anytime during the winter when the conditions allow. It is best to prune this plant when it is not covered by snow.
Double Knock Out Rose ® should be pruned in late winter to promote new growth in the spring.
Dwarf Burning Bush can be pruned at anytime during the winter. It is much easier to prune this plant in the winter, because it is not covered by foliage. Being able to see all of the branches makes shaping this plant easier.
Ivory Halo Dogwood should be pruned in late winter to promote new growth in the spring. Winter pruning makes clean up much easier because you do not have to deal with all of the foliage.
All of the above plants are good candidates for winter pruning. As a general rule of thumb, evergreens and flowering plants should not be pruned during the winter. deciduous shrubs that do not have significant flowers are usually the best plants to prune at this time of year.