What is the purpose of fall pruning?
you could also shape shrubs and trees via pruning, but that is often cosmetic.
Whenshouldyou prune your plants?
Cut trees are more susceptible to virus and fungus in summer, for instance.
An excellent example are roses, which thrive after a winter where youve cut them all the way back.
Reasons not to prune a plant in fall
So when should younotprune a particular plant in fall?
There are a few reasons to avoid it.
Some plants simply do not need pruning at all, like annual mums.
Leaving a plant alone means youre supporting the local ecosystem.
This happens in spring, and so the time to prune them is summer.
If you prune them in fall, you may well be affecting how many blooms youll have next year.
Lilacs:Lilacsare delightfully tricky characters in your yard.
I have never been successful there, but you might try.
Either way, the appropriate time to thin and shape your lilac is in summer.
But if you want that display, youll need to leave the plant alone in fall.
These trees need their little flower buds to overwinter, so chopping them in fall is a no-no.
Limelight hydras should be pruned after the new year, as we head into spring.
Only oakleaf hydras should be pruned in fall, as the flowers begin to age and turn color.
If anything, wait to prune yourfernsuntil late winter or early spring.
Ornamental grasses:I love a plant that is self-sufficient, andornamental grassesdo a great job on their own.
They require no chops or pruning for winter and will survive just fine.
In fact, leaves that die will merely shrivel up and compost in place, feeding the plant.
