Late-winter pruning encourages stronger growth, healthier plants and better flowering in spring
February is a quiet, in-between month in the garden. The days are gradually getting longer and the birdsong louder, but spring is not quite ready to arrive. Many trees and shrubs will still be in their dormancy – which makes this the perfect time to grab your gardening gloves and secateurs and get outside to do some pruning.
Giving certain plants a chop and a tidy while still dormant has several benefits: there’s less stress on the plant; it’s not yet expending energy on producing leaves and flowers; and cuts have time to heal before the spring growth spurt.
Late-winter pruning keeps your plants healthy in other ways, too. Removing old and diseased wood will kickstart new healthy shoots to form and clears away pests that have made themselves at home in the old wood over winter. It’s also far easier to re-shape your plant while branches are free from leaves and you can see what you’re doing.
Keep reading for the nine plants to prune this month.
Buddleja davidii – also known as the butterfly bush – flowers on new wood (this year’s growth), so a hard prune now will encourage strong spring shoots and result in bigger, better flower spikes, known as panicles, later in the season. Regular pruning also helps prevent the plant from becoming tall, leggy and floppy.
HOW TO PRUNE: Most buddleja benefit from being cut back to 30–60cm above the ground. Cut just above healthy, outward facing buds. It’s also a good idea to remove any thin or lanky stems.
Lavatera, known as tree mallow, also flowers on new growth so a late-winter prune helps produce lots of fresh stems resulting in more flowers. It’s fast growing, so pruning now will prevent the plant getting leggy and help create a compact, bushier shape.
HOW TO PRUNE: Cut back to about 30–60 cm from the ground and remove any weak or winter-damaged stems.
Varieties such as Erica carnea and Erica × darleyensis, which have lifted our spirits over winter by providing colour in borders and containers, will be starting to fade about now. The new growth that’s produced in spring is where next winter’s flowers will appear, so prune now to encourage more blooms later.
HOW TO PRUNE: Give them a ‘haircut’ just below the spent flower heads. Avoid cutting into old woody growth as it will not regrow.
Pruning now encourages the plant to direct energy into producing stronger stems and bigger flowers – just what you want from your roses. It will also improve air flow to the centre of the plant, reducing the risk of mildew and black spot, plus it’s a chance to reshape and control the size of your plant. Bush roses, such as hybrid tea and floribunda roses, will benefit from a hard prune, often down to 20-40cm, while shrub and climbing roses require a lighter prune, mainly to shape the plant.
HOW TO PRUNE: This will depend on the type of rose you have – but generally, prune when buds start to swell but before leaves fully open. Remove dead, diseased or crossing canes. Take the cane you want to prune and make a 45-degree cut just above a nodule or bud. Feed lightly after pruning, increasing feed once the growth spurt begins. Don’t compost any diseased branches.
Pruning berry bushes such as blackberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries and redcurrants helps the plants stay healthy and produce more fruit. It’s easier to spot weak, dead or damaged canes at this time of year – so now’s your chance! Thinning out the canes improves airflow and helps prevent fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Also, if your plant is a manageable size and shape, harvesting the fruit will be easier.
HOW TO PRUNE: Remove old canes and tidy up your plant. Thorn-resistant gauntlet gloves are highly recommended to protect arms against scratches!
Pruning fruit trees now sets them up to produce better-quality fruit later and helps reduce the risk of disease, which is especially important for apples and pears.
HOW TO PRUNE: For apple trees, remove any dead or crossing branches, thin out the centre to improve airflow, and cut long shoots back to 2–3 buds. For pear trees, remove any dead or crossing branches. Thin lightly but avoid pruning too hard.
Don’t winter-prune stone fruit (plums, cherries, apricots) due to silver leaf disease risk.
Wisteria usually gets two prunings. The late-winter chop (February) is to encourage flowers, while the summer chop (July or August) is to control size. Wisteria blooms on short spurs that grow from older wood. Opening up the plant reduces tangles, improves airflow, and helps prevent disease.
HOW TO PRUNE: Cut back last year’s long shoots – often described as ‘whippy’ – to about 2-3 buds (roughly 5-10cm).
Fleshy-leaved sedums can get leggy and flop if not cut back. Pruning now will keep the plant neat and healthy, while encouraging strong spring growth and more flowers.
HOW TO PRUNE: Trim the plant down to about 5-8cm above the ground. Removing old, dead and floppy stems will help improve airflow. It’s also a good idea to stake tall, clumping varieties like ‘Autumn Joy’ early in the season to prevent the common problem of flopping later.
February is a good time to prune some – but not all – types of ornamental grasses. Some benefit from being left alone for winter interest. Some, such as evergreens, don’t need cutting at all but benefit from a tidy up.
HOW TO PRUNE: Deciduous grasses such as Miscanthus (maiden grass), Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster', Panicum virgatum (Switchblade), Pennisetum (fountain grass) and Molinia caerulea can all be cut to near ground level. Remove all the old stems and foliage completely. Ideally, do this before new shoots emerge.
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