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Most people think there’s not much to do in a winter garden, but in fact, there are plenty of jobs to keep you happily busy in the backyard, and pruning is one of them. “Late winter is the best time of the year for the major pruning of most trees and shrubs and perennial plants,” says Robert Chin, Bunnings Compliance Manager, Biosecurity & Nursery Standards. “It’s when most plants are least active, which is ideal for pruning.”
Pruning is essential to give your greenery shape and promote flowering or fruiting, and while a general prune is a good idea, it pays to know a little about your plants to get the best results.
This depends on the type of trees you have. “It’s time to prune deciduous trees when all of the leaves have dropped off in late winter,” Robert says. “Summer and autumn flowering trees and shrubs are also best pruned in late winter or early spring, as soon as their annual growth begins, and spring flowering trees and shrubs are normally pruned after they’ve finished flowering. Sappy trees like maples, magnolias and birches are best pruned in late spring.”
Pruning incorrectly or at the wrong time can be one of the factors that lead to dieback (the progressive death of plants), so keep a gardening diary or calendar to help you remember the best pruning seasons for your plants.
Once again, this comes down to the type of plant but there are a few simple rules:
How to cut
Make your cut on a 45-degree angle, just above an outward facing bud. If you’re pruning bigger branches, don’t take the whole branch off in one go. Instead, do an undercut first so as not to damage the remaining part of the branch or the trunk.
Use the right tools
To make clean cuts you’ll need sharp tools.
Trim the dead weight
Remove dead branches or branches growing where you don’t want them.
Get the perfect shape
Do a few cuts at a time then step back to check the overall appearance before pruning more.
Here are Robert’s tips for pruning some popular plants.
Fruit trees
You want to allow air movement through the tree so prune to open up the foliage and remove dead wood. Some fruit trees flower on second-year wood so make a note of when you need to prune.
Roses
Major pruning is done in winter but summer pruning is sometimes required. Dead-head flowers to promote new flowers.
Grape vines
These can be pruned in different ways – such as spur pruning and cane pruning – and will depend on your desired outcome. With fruiting grapes, pruning promotes flowering and fruit production so prune harder in the first few years to get maximum production.
Ornamental trees
You’re mainly pruning these to maximise flowering and ensure you have good form – go slow and keep assessing the shape as you prune.
You don’t actually need a lot of equipment for pruning. “Traditional hand tools will do for most pruning jobs though the recent introduction of battery-operated garden tools has made pruning a lot easier and quicker,” Robert says. “The battery-operated tools are particularly useful for people that struggle to do a lot of heavy pruning or have limited mobility in their hands.”
To build up your garden tool collection, start with snips, hand shears and loppers for those harder to reach jobs.
Whatever tools you have, they need to be sharp. Also if you have power tools you’ll need to maintain your power garden tools, too.
To avoid spreading disease among plants, clean and sanitise your tools after use by dipping them in bleach and then warm soapy water. Leave them to dry thoroughly.
Robert suggests giving your plants a little TLC post prune. “No particular additional work is required after pruning your trees and shrubs but most will benefit from fertilising, especially those heavy feeders, like fruit trees and flowering shrubs,” he says. To make sure the plant is getting the right nutrients, go for a fertiliser specifically designed for the variety.
Find everything you need to prune at your local Bunnings in-store or online.
