Although it may seem that winter isn’t a good time to do much of anything in the landscape, it is a great time to tackle pruning chores.

Dormant pruning is beneficial to many plants.

To begin with, it is far easier to make pruning decisions without leaves obscuring a plant’s branching structure. Having a clear view allows our staff to be selective and remove the proper branches from plants and trees. We can maintain the health of your plants by removing dead, diseased, injured or unproductive wood. Damaged or dead wood can be an entry point for insects or disease that will then spread to healthy tissues of a plant. Further, pruning cuts made during the dormant season tend to heal before a plant produces new wood or leaves in spring.

By pruning during the winter we can help to control or direct the growth of a plant. We can remove crossing branches, dead or decaying wood and weak branch attachments; weak branch attachment is the leading cause of broken branches during wind storms. We can also stimulate a plant to produce a more dense growth pattern or can thin a plant to control its growth without stimulating excessive new growth that may change the plant’s natural appearance or growth habit.

Pruning can help a plant to improve flower set on a plant. As plants mature they frequently produce a greater quantity of flowers but the flower size itself is reduced. By reducing the wood of a plant, the plant’s energy is then diverted into producing fewer flowers of a larger size. In addition, pruning can help to promote the production of more colorful stems (such as those of Red Twig Dogwood) or more attractive berries or fruit set on plants such as Beautyberry.
The Pattie Group is currently scheduling dormant pruning visits. Please feel free to contact me to discuss this service at your earliest convenience.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, Contact The Pattie Group, Inc.