Pruning in January with Arit Anderson

I enjoy the stillness of this time of year, when most of the garden is still in slumber. There’s the gentle hum of winter-flowering plants doing their utmost to keep our interest in the garden. The perennials left standing from the previous year are patiently waiting to start back into growth in the new season to come. The natural reduction of energy in the garden means it’s the perfect time to prune some of our beloved plants.

In particular, the focus needs to be on the summer-flowering shrubs that rely on the current year’s growth. It’s also the last chance to do any pruning of grapevines, as they can bleed sap if it’s left any later, which can weaken them. As we are technically still in winter, now is also the perfect moment to crown-lift deciduous trees, removing some of their lower branches. As they have no leaves, it’s much easier to see and assess their structure.

Below, I share the plants to prune now and ones to avoid pruning at this time of year. Plus, I give my simple steps to crown lifting a lime tree.

More winter pruning advice:

• Your winter pruning jobs
• Chop and trim in winter

Plants to prune now:

Before shrubs start into growth, get out your secateurs and cut back those that flower on new stems later in summer. Pruning now will stimulate fresh growth and a good display of blooms.

Shrubby dogwoods

For colourful winter stems on Cornus, cut the whole shrub down to about 30cm, or take out one in three stems to retain the height.

• Best dogwoods for winter colour

Potato vine

Prune vigorous Solanum crispum each year to control size and reduce congestion. Cut shoots back to three buds to form a tight framework.

Lacecap hydrangeas

These hydrangeas flower on this year’s growth, so cut stems back to a lower pair of buds for lots of large blooms in summer.

• Seven lacecap hydrangeas to grow

Shrub roses

Reduce stems of shrub roses by a third and remove any dead, damaged and diseased wood, to keep an open-centred framework of well-spaced stems.

• How to prune roses in winter

Avoid pruning:

This is the wrong time of year to prune certain shrubs and trees, because either it would remove the coming year’s flowering stems or it would make the plant susceptible to disease.

• Deutzia: As the flowers are produced on the previous year’s stems, only prune deutzia after flowering later this year.
• Star magnolia: If pruned during dormancy, Magnolia stellata has a tendency to suffer die-back. Instead, lightly prune in early summer.
• Plum trees: Winter pruning plum trees can increase the risk of silver leaf disease, so wait until late spring to remove any diseased or crossing branches.

Step-by-step: Crown lifting a lime tree

Crown lifting simply means removing the lower branches of a tree, and the benefits include:

• Improving access under the tree, especially if a branch is protruding into a walkway.
• Opening up the sight line to a desirable view.
• Letting in more light to plants around the base.

Pruning deciduous trees when they’re dormant and leafless means the tree’s structure is clearly visible, so it’s easier to see what to remove. You may need to use a combination of tools: a pruning saw for thick branches, loppers to reach into the centre of a tree, and secateurs for thin branches.

• More advice on how to crown lift a tree

Step 1

Look at the tree’s shape and decide how high up the trunk you want the branches to start. If it has many branches, work out which require removal to improve the shape, safety or access underneath the tree. Then decide where the cuts need to be made and choose appropriate tools.

Step 2

Assess the length and weight of the branch – you may need to support it or reduce its length first, to ensure an easy, clean cut. You should make your cut close to the trunk but not flush against it – leave a small ‘collar’ at the base.

Step 3

Check the rest of the tree and trim off any branches or twigs that are dead, diseased or damaged. Keep standing back so you can ensure that the shape of the tree remains evenly balanced. Use loppers or secateurs for these smaller stems.

Other plants to prune this way:

• Rowans
• Apples
• Birches
• Willows

Plus:

• Trees with a weeping habit may need their lower branches removed, so there’s sufficient space for the cascading branches.
• Multi-stemmed trees look great with clear space under the canopy, so the multiple trunk formation can be admired.