Beyond young trees, other plants can also be pruned during the dormant season, including roses and hydrangeas. For roses, Stuckey said, “late winter is the perfect time to prune roses, especially when the forsythia begins to bloom.”
Gardeners should again keep the four D’s in mind, cutting back to healthy white wood and removing canes thinner than a pencil. During the process, they should also aim for a vase shape to promote good airflow.
Different types of roses should also be pruned differently:
Hybrid teas: 12 to 18 inches, with three to five strong canes
Floribundas and grandifloras: 18 to 24 inches, with five to seven canes
Shrub and Knock Out roses: Light pruning only
After pruning roses, Stuckey said it is also important to clean up and “remove all debris to prevent disease.”
Hydrangeas, however, can be “tricky to prune,” Stuckey said. But with the Garden Club’s tips, the task can be more manageable.
She explained that old-wood hydrangeas should not be pruned while dormant, while new-wood hydrangeas such as Annabelle, Incrediball, Limelight, and PeeGee can be cut back to 12 to 18 inches for more compact plants, or left taller for a fuller look.
As for reblooming varieties, Stuckey said they can be lightly pruned in early spring or after the first bloom of the season. Overall, the Garden Club advises gardeners not to prune old-wood hydrangeas in winter, not to prune hydrangeas in the fall, and not to try to control their size by pruning mid-season.
Other pruning tips shared by Dr. Higgins, Stuckey, and the Garden Club include using sharp, clean tools, making cuts just outside the branch collar, never removing more than 25 percent of a tree’s canopy in one year, avoiding ladders by using pole pruners or calling a professional for large trees, and protecting your eyes when working with plants overhead.
For more information about off-season pruning, visit the University of Missouri Extension pruning guide. Those interested in getting involved with local gardening clubs can also find upcoming meetings through the group’s Facebook page.
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