Winter Pruning in January: What to Cut Back (and What to Leave)
January is a great time for selective pruning while many plants are dormant — but the key word is selective. Done properly, winter pruning improves shape, airflow and spring growth.
What you can prune in January
- Dead/damaged/diseased wood (any time)
- Many deciduous shrubs (if they’re overgrown or crossing)
- Fruit trees like apples and pears (traditional winter pruning window)
- Roses can be lightly reduced to stop wind rock (save hard pruning for late winter/early spring)
What to avoid pruning now
- Spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, lilac, flowering currant) — prune after flowering
- Lavender — avoid hard winter cuts
- Hedges — heavy cuts in winter can stress plants and look bare until spring
A tidy approach that helps wildlife
Leaving some seed heads and stems over winter supports birds and beneficial insects. You can always do a bigger cutback later.
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