Whenever the temperatures start to drop, there are certain types of plants that end up going dormant. Plants enter this state to conserve energy by performing the minimal activity. Due to the harsh temperatures and conditions that the winter brings, plants naturally enter a dormant state to give themselves the best chance for survival. The dormant season typically falls within the late fall into the early spring. As a landscaper, there’s nothing you need to do to help your plants enter a dormant state. However, there are certain plants you will need to work on throughout the dormant season.

Pruning your plants during this time is ideal because it can help to produce flowers and fruit and promote strong plant growth going forward. The best gardeners and landscapers understand that doing anything possible to improve their plant’s status and health is a worthy endeavor. If you’ve never pruned your plants in the dormant season before or you aren’t really sure why it’s important, this article is for you. Below, we are going to walk you through why pruning plants in the dormant season is important so that you have the knowledge you need to keep your landscaping flourishing all year long. This article is brought to you by Cal Blend Soils, the leading supplier of landscaping products in the California region. Reach out to Cal Blend Soils today if you have any questions about pruning or would like to see what types of landscaping products can benefit your property.

1. Easily Identify Growth That is Experiencing Problems

Most people consider landscaping to be a warm-weather activity, but the truth is that the winter and dormant season are the perfect opportunities to take care of any issues. Pruning your plants during the dormant season makes a lot of sense. One of the main reasons why this time of year is great for pruning is that it is much easier to identify growth that is experiencing problems when the plant is in a dormant state. Trying to figure out which branches are problem branches when there is a ton of new growth is a big challenge. The last thing you want to do is to prune plant growth that is healthy. When plants like shrubs are in their dormant state, you can easily see where the issue is and prune it back.

2. Help Your Plants Become Healthier

Another great reason why you should start pruning your plants during the dormant months is that it can actually help your plants become healthier. By removing the growth that is dead or decaying, your plants will be able to focus their nutrients and resources on their healthy areas. Since they won’t be putting forth any of their resources on recovering the dead growth, your plants will be at their maximum strength throughout the dormant season. This is important because if your plants are healthier, they are able to better withstand any damage related to cold weather or drought. If you want your plants to become healthier and give them the best chance of surviving the winter and coming back strong in the spring, you should absolutely start pruning them in the dormant season.

3. Lower Vulnerability for Openings in Bark

Whenever you are pruning a plant or tree, it’s important to remember that a portion of the plant will be exposed. That’s another great reason why pruning plants in the dormant season is important. When you are pruning back your plants, the openings in their bark that you create are less prone to disease and pest damage. That means you won’t have to worry as much about the risk factors related to pruning your plants. Your plants will also be able to heal more quickly than they would if you pruned in the middle of the growing season. That’s because your plants will be able to focus on repairing the pruning cuts instead of using their nutrients to create new growth and new blooms. It makes a lot of sense to prune your plants during the dormant season, especially because of a lower vulnerability for openings in their bark.

4. Good Conditions for Pruning

Another great reason to start pruning your plants in the dormant season is that the conditions are perfect for doing so. The idea of heading outside to perform some landscaping work might seem daunting at first, but it’s actually a great time to get some pruning work done. This is because throughout the colder months of the year, the ground is a lot firmer. That means you won’t be damaging the grass surrounding your shrubs and your plants by stepping on it and putting your weight on it. It’s also worth noting that there aren’t too many other landscaping activities to take care of in the winter, so you can take advantage of the extra time to work on pruning back your plants where it is needed.

What types of plants should I prune?

If you aren’t familiar with pruning plants, it’s worth noting that there are certain types of plants that typically require pruning. For example, you should try to prune plants like hydrangeas, mallows, barberries, and spirea in the dormant season. By pruning these plants in the dormant season, you are encouraging their growth in the spring and summertime. This is absolutely worth the effort and can help you get a head start on your landscaping when the weather warms up.

We hope this article has helped you learn more about why pruning plants in the dormant season is important. Remember that you can always reach out to Cal Blend Soils if you have any questions about your landscaping or if you want to purchase the best landscaping products on the market. Head over to Cal Blend Soils today to get your landscaping supplies in bulk.