Pruning trees and shrubs in late summer is NOT recommended because such pruning causes new soft growth that can’t harden off before winter. You will find this advice everywhere, but is it correct?
The standard advice is to prune spring flowering shrubs right after flowering and to prune summer flowering shrubs in winter or early spring. Is this the best advice?
Pruning spring flowering shrubs after flowering ensures that the shrub has time to develop next year’s flower buds. Summer flowering shrubs develop flower buds in spring on new wood so they are pruned before flower buds are formed. This is not bad advice for maximizing flower production, but is it the best advice for the vigor of the shrub?
Pruning Shrubs – Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’, by Robert Pavlis
