How to winter-prune trees and shrubs

Pruning rejuvenates shrubs and trees, and helps younger plants in their formative stages by establishing a good shape. Winter is an ideal time to prune, as the lack of leaves on deciduous trees and shrubs enables you to see what you're doing more clearly. What's more, since sap is not as active during the winter, cuts are less likely to 'bleed', and the tree or shrub sustains less of a shock than being chopped when sap is in full flow. Wounds will callous over just as they would in nature, and this natural healing process should happen before growth begins again in spring.

The first priority in any pruning regime is to remove any damaged or diseased wood. Secondly, any branches that cross and chafe should be sorted out by removing the least important bough or cutting it back lower down to an outward facing bud. Pruning out lengths of bud-bearing stems concentrates the energy of the shrub or tree into those buds that remain, so when growth starts again in the spring it will be more vigorous.

However, it's essential to make the cut in the right place. Bad pruning can result in die-back, poor wound recovery and - potentially - unhealthy plants. Follow our 'do's and don'ts' guide to getting it right every time.