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Pruning in December
What to Prune Now
In December, when plants are dormant, it’s a good time to prune most types of plants. If you have a lot to do, start now. Otherwise, take your time. Waiting a few weeks protects plants from frost and lets you enjoy colorful stems.
- Hazel: Cut out old stems near the base (coppicing)
- Foxglove tree: Give it a hard cut to encourage huge leaves next year
- Parthenocissus: This climber can get out of control. Prune it now and use the vines in Christmas wreaths.
- Willow: Cut back young stems to encourage more growth next season
Avoid Pruning These
- Box: Wait until spring. It’s susceptible to frost and disease.
- Cherries, plums, peaches, and apricots: They’re more likely to get silver leaf if pruned in winter.
- Buddleia globosa: Prune after flowering.
- Lemon verbena: Wait until spring. Pruning now removes protective growth and increases the risk of frost damage.
Step-by-Step Grapevine Pruning
- Assess the plant: Decide what to prune and which stems to leave long for training.
- Shorten stems: Cut stems with fruiting spurs at their base, keeping two buds each.
- Finish up: Aim for a tidy, controlled vine with no whippy growth.
Other Plants to Prune Like Grapevines
- Campsis: Keep it in check to encourage flowers.
- Wisteria: Prune in January or February, back to two or three buds.
- Ampelopsis: Prune to prevent it from getting too big.
Tips
- Use pruned stems to create hardwood cuttings.
- Commercial growers often use grafting instead of cuttings to avoid disease problems. But cuttings are fun to try if you want to make more plants at home.
