DIY GARDENS
Winter to spring pruning
Gardena made simple
The transition from winter to spring may be a garden ' s quiet season, but it ' s also one of the best times to take care of your garden. Let’ s look at tools and techniques, plants, and expert advice on how to prune lavender.
Tools and technique matter too
Be sure to always use clean, sharp secateurs or loppers for precise cuts that heal quickly and close faster. Torn or crushed stems can slow down recovery and leave plants more vulnerable to disease. Remember to also disinfect your tools after pruning diseased plants to help prevent spreading problems through the garden, advises Gardena.
Thoughtful pruning pays off. knowing what to cut, what to shape, and what to leave, will reward you with stronger growth, healthier plants, and a garden that wakes up beautifully in spring.
And whatever you ' re pruning, sharp tools make the job easier and the plant’ s recovery faster – a reminder that goodquality tools matter in the garden.
Pruning is easier in winter because sap flow is slower. It’ s easier to see the structure of the plants and it also places less stress on plants, lowering the risk of disease entering fresh wounds.
The trick here is to know about what to do during the colder months and what to do once spring has, well, sprung.
Certainly, winter pruning isn ' t about cutting everything back, nor is early spring work. It ' s about understanding what needs a hard prune, what only needs light shaping or selective cutting, and what should simply be left alone. A good example is the treatment of lavender in our special sidebar item on the last page of this article.
If winter is still hanging around, here’ s what to prune soft and hard, advises garden appliance giant Gardena:
• Roses( hard prune) Winter is rose-pruning season. Cut stems back to healthy outward-facing buds, remove dead or diseased wood, and dispose of infected material to help reduce disease risk.
• Deciduous fruit trees( hard prune) Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, and plums all benefit from winter pruning. Apricots should be treated more lightly. Focus on removing dead, damaged, and overcrowded branches to improve airflow, light, and future fruiting.
• Grapevines( hard prune) A thorough winter pruning keeps your vines productive and encourages strong, healthy new growth for the season ahead.
• Deciduous ornamental trees( selective prune) Trees such as Japanese maples, plane trees, and liquidambars( such as Sweet Gum) are easier to shape in winter. Without leaves, it’ s simpler to remove crossing or rubbing branches and improve structure without overcutting.
Do not prune these plants while the cold season abounds:
• Spring-flowering shrubs and trees Azaleas, camellias, and flowering quince form their flower buds ahead of spring, so winter pruning would reduce their display. Wait until after flowering. Among the popular trees, magnolias and flowering cherries should only be pruned once they have finished blooming, if shaping is needed.
• Hydrangeas Most common hydrangeas flower on wood formed the previous season, so cutting them back in winter can reduce summer blooms. Only remove dead wood and wait until after flowering to prune properly.
• Frost-sensitive evergreens Gardenia and murraya are best left unpruned in winter, as cold snaps can easily damage fresh growth.
Hot tip: Hold off on frostdamaged trees
Blackened or wilted foliage after a cold snap may look unsightly, but don’ t be too quick to tidy it up. That damaged growth often helps protect the healthy plant underneath. It’ s best to wait until the risk of frost has passed before cutting it back.
94 spring 2026 | www. tobuild. co. za