Winter Pruning -Is it too cold?

Now that Christmas is over, I’m looking forward to getting back to work and especially winter pruning, which I love! However, a quick check of the latest forecasts suggest I may need to delay those plans a little.

Down here in Banstead, the first full week of January looks to have prolonged periods below freezing, barely reaching 3c in the day and well into minus figures overnight. That means there will be heavy frosts which are unlikely to fully thaw during the day.

And while winter is often the ideal time to prune, there’s a difference between normal winter conditions in balmy Surrey and periods of severe cold.

When temperatures drop too low, pruning can do more harm than good.

Plants Can’t Heal Properly in Severe Cold

Every pruning cut is a wound. Normally, plants respond by forming callus tissue to seal and protect it.

New Frost Can Damage Fresh Cuts

Fresh pruning cuts are much more vulnerable to frost than intact bark.

If a hard frost follows pruning it can result in damage spreading beyond the original cut, undoing careful pruning work.

Increased Risk of Disease Later On

Cold weather itself doesn’t usually cause disease, but it creates ideal conditions for infection later, when milder, damp weather returns, fungi and bacteria have an easy entry point — often weeks after the pruning was done.

Brittle Wood Leads to Poor Cuts

In very cold weather, wood becomes brittle. Meaning branches may splinter, bark can tear and damaged areas take longer to heal and are more prone to infection and dieback.

For now, it's best to hold off on most pruning.

If you'd like some help with your winter pruning (once it warms up a little!) feel free to get in touch