Winter Tree Pruning

Many people don’t realize this, but January is actually the best time to have an arborist prune your trees. This is when trees are dormant and their sap has stopped flowing, which means a fresh cut will bleed very little. Since the leaves are gone, this is also a time when a deciduous tree’s shape and structure can clearly be seen. Flowering ornamental and fruit-bearing trees benefit enormously from winter pruning, as the process increases flower production in the spring. White pines and other thick evergreens, which have soft wood, should be thinned out before heavy snowfall, as the weight of the snow can snap their limbs right off.

If you do have a heavy snow, grab a push broom, get outside, and take a walk around your yard. Carefully shake small, deciduous trees to remove their snowy burden. For evergreens and shrubs, use the bristle side of the broom to gently bounce the lower branches from the underneath to dislodge the accumulated snow.  If your trees are covered with ice, however, do nothing at all. A coating of ice is indeed heavy, but it also acts as an external support for the tree. So enjoy the winter wonderland and allow the ice to slowly melt away.

Comments

[Kathy]

Martha,
Thanks for the discussion of the benefits of pruning deciduous trees in January and for pointing out that it is a good time to see the shape and structure of such trees.
After our last snowfall, I thought the shrubs and evergreens around my home would be lost. They were weighted down with so much snow that they appeared to be splitting. They have since bounced back, though.
The shape and structure of the trees in the photograph are beautiful. Is it a picture of the area around your home in Bedford? The photograph is striking.
Kathy

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Martha,
I wasn't sure if I should start pruning some of my trees now or wait. Your article on winter tree pruning came at the perfect time.
Thanks,
Pauline Mucciaccio
PS
The trees in the picture have the shape of a Bonsai. Is that their natural shape or were they pruned that way? What type of tree are they?

[Trish]

Your pruned trees are shaped like the Royal Poincianas down here in Florida which are quite beautiful with their red foliage. Since we won't be enjoying any winter wonderland anytime soon, thanks for sharing your very realistic photo. Brrr! Trish

[Pam From California]

Looks like a great day to ride horses around Bedford look at the scenery on your own property. Perfect then hot chocolate waiting when you finish the ride~
This would have been a great photo for your Christmas cards this past Christmas.
Pam from CA

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, Thanks for another informative blog. It's good to know that winter is the time to prune deciduous trees. I have always pruned them in the early spring so I will now prune in the winter. We don't have a lot of heavy snowfalls here in the Puget Sound area but when we do I always use your broom method. In the almost 50 years that I have lived here, I only recall one severe ice storm that was so bad that branches snapped off of lots of trees. Thanks again for sharing. Jan

[Betty Dunbar]

Hi Martha -- I really enjoyed your show today -- it was a treat to watch. Just wanted to share an idea with you regarding feeding the birds. I tried a new recipe for Carribean Christmas pudding this year -- I think it was heavier than a curling rock! So, rather than take a chance, I made my usual recipe then divided the first one into 3 different batches, wrapped them in mesh and set them out for the birds. Needless to say, it was a Christmas treat for them! It had fruit, nuts and breadcrumbs which they like -- and 1/2 cup of Jamaican rum which I think went over well too! Christmas is for the birds -- don't you agree?!

Sincerely,
Betty Dunbar
Meaford, Ontario
Canada

[Debi in Florida]

Hi Martha..
I was thrilled to find out that you have started a blog...
I have learned so much from you, and just want to express my gratitude to you for inspiring me to take the time to live life to the fullest. You have even influenced the design of my own blog. Seeing Felix DooLittle stationary on your show prompted me to write to him to see if I could use his illustrations in my posts, and the answer was yes!
I also did a post featuring your fun bags with a picture tutorial...many women responded through the comments and emails who planned to use them as gift bags for giving Christmas goodies.
Thanks, Martha...I appreciate you!

[Hardboiledegg]

What a timely blog I live in Florida and now crepe Murder is occurring throughout the state As we speak loppers are butchering the beautiful crepe myrtle what was once an impressive specimen --- installed to landscape an apartment complex --has been shortened and a sizable trunk produced the new growth why so much was removed is beyond me as I'm sure a great deal of money was spent to purchase a truly lovely tree now it has been trimmed- hatracked as they say for the second time in as many years . It is horrible how UNeducated people destroy this ormamental tree it is a tree do people go out each year and severely prune/butcher the pine trees in their yards??

Martha ,I challenge you to save the Crepe Myrtle tree !!! the proper pruning of this tree needs to be explained to people this tree can grow to tremendous heights why don't people purchase the dwarf variety and then save themselves time and money in landscape fees they install the wrong tree for the location a dwarf tee can still grow to 15 to 20 feet if you let it I have set least 60 feet in height I'm sorry I have seen too many forms destroyed with the wrong approach to trimming it is so sad to see what is happening in Florida

[Mrs Branham]

Dear Martha & Company:
Thank you for this blog. What a treat to get an insider's look at your life. Can't wait to keep reading!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Branham

[Kathy]

Welcome back, Martha,
I enjoyed your show today--as usual.
Thanks for talking about what we read about St. Barts, Grenada, spices and such on your blog.
The Cooking with Kids segment with Lauren Deen and her two children ispired me to get the Kitchen Playdates book and cook with my nephews. The segment about making the notebooks from the Giving Show with President Bill Clinton made me once again think of what else I could do to help others.
I liked the segment on birds with Dr. John Fitzpatrick also. I have fed birds for years, but he gave me new ideas. I hadn't known that millet should be put on the ground. I have usually put it in a hanging feeder, while spreading some on the ground for juncos and mourning doves, and other ground feeders.
I'm also planning to participate in the Cornell bird count in February.
Thanks for the new ideas!
Kathy

[Dena Shapella phone 856-235-3924]

On your show you told the caller that you cannot freeze pies. I freeze apple and berry pies and they turn out excellent.
I assemble the pie and put it into the freezer to chill it before I wrap it. Then put it into a freezer bag.
Two important things first use a metal pie plate,and second keep it frozen until your oven in preheated to 425 then unwrap and put on cookie sheet and put in oven.
Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, cut slits on top again and reduce temp to 350 and bake for additional 45-50 minutes or until juice bubble through slits on top.

[Carolyn]

Beautiful Picture! Your property must be amazing. I loved the picture of your Horses that you shared on the show too.

Carolyn

[judie]

Hi Martha,I am loving your blog.It was so interseting to read about Nutmeg.Can you tell me why Ct.is called the Nutmeg State ?

[molly]

a beautiful picture. I'm blessed to see similar sunrises on our farm here in Maryland as well.

My husband will be relieved to know that he hasn't missed his window of opportunity for some pruning around here. We are slowly learning more about caring for the trees around our place. This year he collected acorns from the trees around our property. I have several ziploc baggies, swollen with acorns, in the back of my fridge waiting to go into pots and be planted in the woods around the farm.

[beth blanton]

Speaking of pruning ....I had a Crepe Myrtle so large I couldn’t get into my house...would love to send you a pic. So I pruned it two years ago...I tried with great effort to prune it correctly.
yikes ...again I would love to send you a pic of what not to do to an over grown yet beautifully breathtaking Myrtle.

[Kathy]

Martha,
The necklace you wore---with a single pearl--on your January 8 show was beautiful. Was it from St. Bart's?
Kathy

[Rosy Burgess]

martha, i love the pictures of your farm...what an amazing place you have. how lucky those that can walk on your beautiful grounds. hope to see more of your pictures.

[Chris]

Hi Martha,
What a beautiful photo of your trees in the early morning! My husband, Rick and I love trees and other plants. Before we got a digital camera I took so many photos of plants, then didn't know what to do with all the photos. Now I use them to make cards.