Success with winter pruning

It’s the key to keeping your shrubs and trees healthy and productive – and it’s easier than you might think. Alan Titchmarsh offers simple tips for winter pruning

Alan’s simple tips on making the right cuts for best results next year

he prospect of winter pruning sends some folk into shock. What to cut, where to cut, how to cut? It’s all just too confusing and as a result many trees and shrubs are left to their own devices. They turn into dense thickets of overcrowded stems, riddled with dead and dying shoots, looking unattractive, with few flowers or fruits, and generally in poor health. The alternative – of simply cutting every stem back by half in the belief that this is what pruning means – can be equally disastrous. ‘Growth follows the knife’ the saying goes, and while this is true, the growth that does follow the knife may not be the kind of growth you want, but a dense thicket. That said, there are some trees and shrubs that need no regular pruning. Oh, it’s all so confusing! I think it’s time to clear things up... Mature trees that are established and have a good shape need no pruning at all. Large shrubs and small trees such as magnolias and Japanese maples are best left well alone too, as their natural shape is the best one. The only exception to this rule is if these plants have any stems that are dead or get in your way (which is why it pays to allow plenty of room for subsequent growth at planting time). The thing about pruning in winter is that once the leaves have fallen, the branch structure of the tree or shrub is clearly visible. You can see if any branches are rubbing against one another (creating a wound where fungal spores can enter, leading to dieback), and you can often tell if a branch is dead or diseased by the difference in colour or vigour compared to other branches. It’s easy, then, to snip or saw them out with sharp secateurs, loppers or a pruning saw, depending on their thickness. And your tools must be sharp – blunt blades will leave rough wounds that are slow to heal and can be entry points for pests and diseases. In winter sap-flow stops, which is why pruning can be carried out with little risk from December to February, especially on plants like grapevines that ‘ bleed’ if pruned during the growing season (see more on pruning grapes on p96). So don’t be scared to wield your pruning tools this winter – just follow my tips on the next few pages.