- The benefits of a winter pruning
- Can I also prune shrubs in frost?
- What should be considered when doing a winter cut?
Although gardeners have significantly less work in winter than at other times of the year, they are by no means unemployed. Some jobs can even be done better now than at any other time of the year, such as pruning fruit trees.
A cut in winter makes sense, but not in frost
Some shrubs are also best pruned in winter, namely varieties that bloom in summer or fall. The exact date is not necessarily important, but rather the prevailing weather and the state of vegetation of your plants. The shrubs to be cut should have already stopped growing and not yet have started to sprout in spring, i.e. they should be in the so-called hibernation period.
The benefits of a winter pruning
Without foliage, you can best see which branches and twigs are crossing or stunting growth and should therefore be pruned. If you want to remove larger branches, then the weight is significantly lower without leaves and handling is much easier. Also not to be underestimated is the more even distribution of work throughout the year.
Can I also prune shrubs in frost?
If the temperature falls below + 5 °C, you should not prune any shrubs or trees. The risk of your plants suffering injuries is too great. Because when there is frost, the wood splinters relatively easily when sawing or cutting.
What should be considered when doing a winter cut?
Frost-free days in winter are ideal for pruning many shrubs. The wood does not splinter as easily during processing as it does in freezing temperatures. In addition, the work is easier to do when it is not too cold. Nevertheless, take a break in good time if your fingers get numb, otherwise the risk of an accident increases.
Make sure you have enough warm clothing so that you don't get cold at work. Especially when using an electric saw, avoid clothing that can be dangerous to you, such as long scarves or bulky gloves.
The essentials in brief:
- do not cut in frost
- pay attention to your own safety (scarf, gloves)
- clean and sharp tool
- take a break in time
tips
Do not cut too radically in winter and preferably only in February so that the trimmed bushes do not freeze to death.