▷ You should cut these garden trees in autumn

Before winter arrives you need to do the autumn work in the garden. Make the garden winter-proof and maybe cut down a tree or two so they grow and flower next year? Not all plants are happy with the autumn cut! So before you get motivated to take action, we’ll show you which trees you should cut down and which ones are best left alone!

You can still prune these trees in the fall:

1. Fruit trees – apple trees, pear trees and the like.

Autumn is the right time to get your fruit trees like apple, pear and quince trees back into shape. Pruning promotes growth and ensures a (hopefully) rich harvest next year. However, it is important to wait until after harvesting, because cutting before winter rest strengthens the trees for the next growth phase. Pruning in autumn prevents the foliage from becoming too compact. This means that more light reaches the inside of the tree and fungal diseases can be better avoided.

Be sure to remove old, dead branches and thin the crown without pruning the tree too much.

2. Berry bushes – raspberries, currants, blackberries

Berry bushes such as raspberries, currants and blackberries will also thank you if you prune them after harvesting in autumn. This creates new, strong shoots for the next season. Autumn raspberries and blackberries should be cut back heavily after the last harvest; this not only promotes growth but also prevents diseases. Simply cut old, worn canes close to the ground and leave only young, healthy shoots.

3. Roses: a delicate topiary

Although roses require more care in the spring and summer, you can do some light pruning in the fall. It is mainly used to remove faded flowers and weak shoots. This prevents the formation of rose hips and the plant saves energy. Wild roses are an exception here, because they should develop beautiful rose hips in winter and thus serve as decoration in the dark season and as a food source for birds. You can find out all about proper rose care, including pruning, in this blog post.

It is better not to cut these trees in autumn:

1. Spring flowering shrubs – forsythia, lilacs and the like.

Spring flowers such as forsythia, lilac or magnolia already lay their buds in autumn for the next flowering. They flower on «old wood», that is, on shoots formed the previous year. Autumn pruning would result in a massive reduction in spring flowering. Instead, prune these shrubs immediately after flowering in spring.

2. Evergreen hedges – thuja, cherry laurel

Evergreen hedges such as thuja or cherry laurel should only be pruned minimally, if at all, in autumn. They are already dormant and cutting them back can increase the risk of the plants suffering frost damage.

3. Delicate ornamental shrubs: hydrangeas and hibiscus

Hibiscus is sensitive to frost. Autumn pruning would weaken the plant and cause it to flower less the following year. When it comes to hydrangeas a distinction must be made: depending on the variety, farmer’s hydrangeas also bloom on the previous year’s wood. They set flower buds for the following year in late summer, so cutting them back in the fall would simply destroy these buds. Panicle hydrangeas and snowball hydrangeas can generally be cut back, but cutting may make it easier for frost to penetrate. It is therefore best to prune these hydrangeas in early spring, before new growth begins.

These trees tolerate gentle pruning:

1. Robust hedge plants – hornbeam and beech

Hornbeam and beech are hardier and can be easily shaped into autumn, as they are hardy trees and less susceptible to frost damage. However, heavy pruning is best in late winter or early spring.

2. Ornamental grasses

Even though ornamental grasses are not trees, they are now a classic in many gardens, so let’s be generous. 🙂 Many people cut them in autumn, but this is not advisable because the stems of ornamental grasses protect the heart of the plant from moisture and cold in winter, even if they are dry. You should only prune in spring; in autumn it is instead possible to tie the stems together and thus provide important winter protection.

As you can see, when it comes to pruning, gardening jobs in the fall are not that strenuous and can be completed more quickly than in the spring.

Happy gardening! 🙂