November - Pruning

This is the month to begin winter-pruning deciduous trees and shrubs. Focus on taking out dead, diseased and damaged wood and for established shrubs consider removing up to a third of the oldest wood completely leaving an open structure as far as possible. Don't be tempted just to "round off" the growth to the height you feel looks best, this won't produce the best shape or flowering potential. Autumn pruning is essential for Japanese maples to avoid excessive bleeding of sap from pruning cuts which could occur in the spring when the sap is rising. There are however two don'ts - don't prune off next year's flowers by pruning those shrubs which will be coming into flower over the winter and into spring. eg Viburnum x bodnantense or Forsythia for example; and don't prune ornamental cherries (Prunus) which are done in summer to avoid risk of the fungal disease Sliver Leaf.