What is Dormant Pruning?

Dormant pruning is the process of removing dead branches and stems from your plant in order to promote new and healthy growth. Dormant pruning is different from regular pruning because it is done in the late-fall and winter when the plant is not actively growing. 

What are the Benefits of Dormant Pruning?

Dormant pruning offers many advantages to your landscape. Dormant pruning reinvigorates the health of your plants while also giving your landscape a fresh and clean look during the dull winter months. By pruning in the winter months you’re able to see the branches and stems of the plant since they’re more visible. This allows you to take care of the diseased or overgrown hazards before they become an issue in the spring. 

Disease spreading in the winter months is overall reduced because most diseases and insects are also dormant during the winter months. This is great news for you! Pruning in the winter will not affect your “pruning wounds” with disease and other harmful critters. 

Pruning during dormancy also minimizes sap loss in your trees. When a tree loses too much sap it is more likely to become stressed which can be harmful to its growth. 

When to Dormant Prune

Now that you know the benefits of dormant pruning, you’re probably asking yourself: “When is the best time?” 

We recommend doing your pruning from late-November to early-March. This is the natural hibernation and dormancy period which means you can prune your plants without jeopardizing the health of your plants.