I don’t know why I didn’t see this when you first posted since I check in most days. Weird.

Thanks Babs. I was just out and the ground still feels frozen to me so far. We haven't really had that many days of warmer weather. It's been pretty cold here except for the past 2 days. Just the same, the temperatures seem to be so much more volatile and I've had the ground thaw out in the middle of winter, in the past.

Maybe it doesn't matter. I could wait until mid March to prune and then have warm enough weather to stimulate new growth adn then a week of cold and snow in April anyway. [g]

The pruning I want to do is renewal pruning. I have three shrubs that are overgrown and need to be cut back to the ground for the most part. One blooms in June, one in May and one in September. I may wait on the one that blooms in June because I want to take cuttings of it in case it doesn't respond well to the pruning. The other two really need a fresh start this spring.

Plus I'm just a little stir crazy. [g]

The biggest problem I've had pruning in January is that the shrubs end up taller than expected because I haven't compensated for the foot of snow I'm standing on. Or there are entire branches that should be removed from the base that I can't see. So now I make a point of waiting until I can see the bases. This may not be a problem with all shrubs in all locations, but it is something to keep in mind.

Aside from that, new growth isn't the issue since the plants should know better. However, the raw, open wounds made by the pruning can be a problem for plants that might be a bit marginal.

You make some excellent points. So after experience, what do you feel is the best time to prune your shrubs?

Odd, I didn't see the post from you above mine until now.

I depends on what they are, of course. However, it seems that you always lose at least a year of bloom doing renewal pruning on anything, so I'm not sure I buy the idea of trying to time pruning to avoid that. IMHO, the best time to do serious pruning is when I can talk DH into getting out the chain saw. Aside from that, I wouldn't prune something that can be winter damaged here, like a doublefile viburnum, after September. I wouldn't do hard pruning any time I couldn't see the base because it was under snow. Aside from that, I'd do it when I felt up to it, and didn't have anything more important to do.

If you are doing serious renewal pruning, it is important to cut as far down as possible. Otherwise, the cut stubs will drive you crazy.

I agree with that - doing it when you can find the energy or the help to get it done. [g]

And you are so right about cutting to the ground. One of the shrubs I need to take care of was pruned by someone who left very tall stubs that are just getting in the way of the shrub growing well. Now I'm going to have to get in there and cut them all the way back. I think there are books that suggest cutting them at different lengths but in my experience I don't like the results from doing that.

One of the shrubs we need to cut a lot of branches back to the base, was damaged by a neighbor's Maple tree dropping a huge branch on it. And it is a suckering Gray Dogwood. So I plan on cutting back all the older growth and allowing the suckers to fill in.

I have a Sherry Sue Clethra that I really like. It blooms in September. It clearly is not getting enough light because it's leaning out toward the light too much. I have nowhere to move it to, so I just want to cut the oldest leaning branches out and see what it will do from that point. It was not noticeable until it began to get tall.

Thank you!

Ann, it would be good to know which shrubs you're talking about. Having said that, pruning shouldn't encourage budding out any earlier than normal, since most dormant plants require a certain number of degree days to destroy the hormone that is contained in the buds which inhibits growth. When there have been enough cold days, the hormone is gone, and the buds "know" it's time to grow if the weather is also warm enough. I wanted to take advantage of the warm spell today, but had to go to physical therapy. Hope I can do some cleaning of the flower beds tomorrow, because the ground is still firm and there aren't and spring bulbs poking up yet! Good luck with your pruning.

Hi Bill, thanks for thinking of me today. I wanted to get outside today too, it was so sunny and pleasant, but, I hit the wall early in the day, after staying up watching the Super Bowl. [g] . Tomorrow for sure, I am going to get out there. I also have some seed that overwinters for me, that I want to sow under the mulch.

The shrubs I want to prune.... I have a 50 year old Kolkwitzia that hasn't been pruned in probably 10 years. And the last person that pruned it seems to have cut too many of the interior branches almost waist high and they are all dead stumps. The shrub has looked pretty good and bloomed well every year, in that overhanging vase shape, but I really want to get all the dead stumps out of there. I don't want to lose that shrub and cut it all back to the ground, just in case, so I'm even considering waiting until after it blooms in June and then prune it. In the meantime, I could take some cuttings for insurance in case something happens to it.

A second shrub is a Gray Dogwood that suckers extensively. It has a main shrub surrounded by much smaller suckers. I plan on cutting back all of the main shrub to the ground and allowing the suckers to fill in. We had some storm damage to some important limbs on the main shrub and then a neighbor dropped a big branch on more of it, so it has to get the main shrub removed.

The third shrub is a Clethra 'Sherry Sue' that is different than the 'Hummingbird' because it blooms in September and is twice the height. It is under the dripline of a grouping of Silver Maples facing east, so it gets morning sun. It apparently gets enough sun because it blooms well every year, but I've noticed last season that the main trunks are leaning out toward the sun, so they are now too low and leaning and I want to remove the largest of them and let it work itself out as it continues to grow.

So the Kolkwitzia can wait until June but the other two I'd think it's best to get those done before the growing season starts.