Stop Pruning These Plants in September — You Could Make Winter Damage Worse

September pruning can trigger tender new growth that faces winter damage, while cutting spring-blooming shrubs can remove next year’s flower buds. Save routine pruning for the plant’s proper season and remove only dead or damaged wood when necessary – Shutterstock

September can feel like the perfect month to grab the pruners. Summer heat starts easing, the garden looks a little shaggy, and suddenly every overgrown shrub seems to be whispering, “Give me a haircut.” Resist the urge with many trees and shrubs, because pruning in late summer or early fall can push out tender new growth that may not have enough time to harden before winter.

That fresh growth looks great for about five minutes. Then a hard freeze arrives, and those soft new stems can suffer frost damage or dieback. September pruning can also remove flower buds that plants already formed for next spring, turning a well-intentioned cleanup into a season of missed blooms. Here are the plants that deserve a little patience.