Source: Rosehill Gardens.
After 100 years of landscaping in this region, one of the best gardening tips in Kansas City is to prune many of your trees and shrubs in late winter, on the cool cusp of spring after the worst of the winter cold has passed.
Pruning during the winter dormancy produces a healthy burst of growth in the spring by leaving the plant extra root and energy stores to promote new growth on remaining branches.
Always prune on a dry, mild day. In winter, it’s much easier to see what needs to be excised from deciduous trees and shrubs because the leaves are gone. Remember to remove the “Four D’s” – branches that are dead, dying, damaged, or diseased.
If you trim certain trees, including maple, walnut, and birch, the sap may begin to “bleed”, although it isn’t harmful and ends when the leaves arrive. Remove the smaller or overgrown branches to ventilate the crown of the plant; always cut a branch at the node where one twig attaches to another. Plants that are well-pruned will normally produce more leaves, flowers, and fruit.
Rosehill Gardens provides professional arborists for correct pruning and trimming on smaller trees and shrubs. For larger tasks too dangerous for homeowners, or even us, we work with other professional tree companies that specialize in larger trees. Contact us for more information about the best process for your home by calling (816) 877-9175.