Fall cleanup has a satisfying rhythm: pull the annuals, rake the leaves, put away the hoses and trim everything that looks unruly before winter. But reaching for the pruning shears simply because a shrub looks messy can create problems that won’t become obvious until months later. Some fall pruning mistakes remove flower buds that have already formed for spring, while others encourage tender new growth at exactly the wrong time of year. In many cases, a healthy branch that looks unnecessary in October is better left alone until the plant is dormant or has finished flowering next year. Before you start cutting your landscape down for winter, these are the mistakes worth avoiding.
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