Why You Should Stop Pruning Your Garden During Autumn, And Other Similar Mistakes You Probably Make

Sep 10, 2018

As we enter the fall seasons, you may begin to realize that your garden kills itself off, preparing itself for the upcoming winter. It’s a sad sight when this happens, noting the end of summer and the beginning of the colder months and a clear signal that upcoming snow that will occur. It’s unfortunate because the plants begin to look dead and unappealing, so most gardeners like to prune during this time. 

However, misinformation on how to take care of your garden in the fall months has long been spread over the years and is now widely believed as fact. You may have been told that many of your plants, including roses and hydrangeas, should be pruned during the fall in order to make them stronger the next year. But this isn’t necessarily true if you want a beautiful garden.

You may have believed the myth that your dead plants should be cleared out before winter time begins. However, you may actually be hurting the plants, as this process makes it more difficult for thriving plants to grow the next year! The problem arises from the fact that autumn temperatures aren’t cold enough for the plants to cease their growing process. Cutting the stems during this time can actually cause them to grow further instead of becoming dormant like they should! By stimulating this growth process in the fall, right before they should be resting, actually results in them becoming weaker for the following year. 

The truth is that most gardeners are pruning their plants too often. Most plants, besides fruit trees, don’t necessarily require pruning, and gardeners get too zealous about the process, over-pruning each and every one of their plants. It’s natural to want to prune overgrown plants, in order to cause them to bloom properly the next season, but when should you be actually doing it?

When temperatures drop, the plants are no longer trying to grow. These plants are known as dormant plants. If you wait until the especially cold temperatures to prune, you avoid weakening them for the next year, but are still able to clip off the dead areas of the plant! Pruning your plants in the winter instead of the fall also helps protect your plants against diseases. By the time they grow back in the spring, they are less susceptible to these diseases and will be stronger, able to resist and avoid being taken over by fungus and other plant diseases

Now that you know it’s better to prune in the winter and not the fall, you might be wondering if you’re doing it correctly at all. Pruning is a helpful process for plants that are overgrown. It allows for helpful sunlight to reach other branches.

But, there are also some methods that can be helpful when learning how to properly prune.

You should begin by pruning branches that look unhealthy. If there is a spot that looks like it’s been taken over by a disease, prune that area first.

You should also be pruning your plants all the way down to their main stem. If you leave stubs, they can become diseased by bacteria or taken over by insects. It’s also important to look at the angle that you’re pruning at. Try to cut your plants at the same angle as they are growing, in order to make sure they grow back properly and give them a little boost.

You should also avoid pruning when conditions outside are wet. You might know that this type of damp and wet weather can actually spread diseases. If you prune when it’s wet outside, you’re leaving your plants susceptible to diseases and bacteria that can kill off your plants entirely. 

Although pruning can be a quite complicated process, you now know everything you should know about the right methods and time to prune your plants. Were you surprised by any of this information? When do you prune your garden?