Plants to cut back hard in midwinter for better growth, flowers and fruit – don't be shy when it comes to these 5 types

If you’ve found yourself twiddling your green thumbs this month, I might have a task for you – as it turns out, there are certain plants you should cut back hard in midwinter for stronger growth during the year ahead.

Several plants should be cut back in winter anyway, but if you’re wondering what to hard prune in midwinter, specifically, plenty of plants fit the bill as we head towards the end of January.

There are certain plants you should never prune in midwinter, of course – but below, you’ll find a list of plants you should cut back hard in midwinter for better-than-ever blooms and growth this year.

What you'll need

1. Apple and pear trees

The best time to prune apple trees and pear trees is during their dormant season, which is typically between November and March. In fact, cutting your tree back hard now will keep it in good shape for the year ahead – and encourage a better crop of fruit, too.

‘Winter pruning helps maintain shape, improves airflow and encourages healthy growth later in the year,’ explains Paul Parker, gardening expert at plants and perennials specialists J. Parker’s. ‘The aim is to create a goblet-shaped frame, ready for new growth. A good winter prune will encourage new buds and ultimately more fruit later down the line.’

Since apple and pear trees are deciduous, their leaves will be gone at this time of the year, which means you’ll have a much clearer view of the branches to work with. You’ll need to remove ‘the three Ds’ (dead, damaged and diseased branches) as well as any that are crossing or facing inwards, according to Paul.

A pruning saw, like the VonHaus Pruning Saw from B&Q will come in handy for thicker branches, while loppers like the McGregor Telescopic Bypass Lopper from Argos will work for thinner branches. Or, go for tools in one with this Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Telescopic Pruner from Argos.

2. Late-flowering shrubs

Late-flowering shrubs can be cut back hard in midwinter, too. Pruning now will make way for new buds and future blooms.

‘Late-flowering shrubs such as buddleja, dogwood and hardy fuchsias flower on new growth, so hard winter pruning will encourage strong shoots and better flowers,’ explains Morris Hankinson, managing director of Hopes Grove Nurseries.

‘Cutting late-flowering shrubs back to a strong, tidy framework will encourage vigorous new shoots.’

Just make sure you clean your garden tools properly before and after pruning, to keep your plants healthy and disease-free. Agralan Citrox Ready To Use Natural Disinfectant Spray from Amazon is a natural alternative to chemical cleaners.

3. Climbing roses

Midwinter is the ideal time to prune climbing roses. Like apple and pear trees, deciduous climbing roses are dormant at this time of the year, and hard pruning them now will encourage a better display of flowers later this year.

‘If you have a climbing rose in your garden, midwinter is the perfect time to give it a hard prune,’ says Paul from J. Parker’s. ‘Pruning your climbing roses while the plants are dormant will help them maintain a good shape and prepare them for summer blooms.’

There is one caveat, though – you’ll need to avoid pruning climbing roses that have been planted for less than two years, Paul says, as they’ll still be in their establishment period.

After that, you can cut them back hard every midwinter. Paul also recommends supporting your climbing rose by tying the main stems to a trellis or structure. You can pick up garden twine for £3.99 at Amazon.

4. Deciduous grasses and perennials

Other deciduous plants can be cut back hard in midwinter, too – more specifically, ornamental grasses like maiden grass and switchgrass, and perennials like hardy geraniums and delphiniums.

‘Deciduous grasses and perennials will be dormant, so they are safe to cut back in winter to keep them tidy and ready for spring growth,’ says Morris from Hopes Grove Nurseries.

Left to their own devices, though, the seedheads and old growth can be a fantastic wildlife garden idea – so it’s worth leaving them be for a little while longer.

‘Leave them for as long as possible, as they can provide food and shelter to insects and interest in the garden,’ Morris explains.

5. Wisteria

Surprisingly, wisteria responds well to winter pruning, and doing it right now can promote fuller displays in the spring.

‘It’s a good time to cut back wisteria,’ says Paul from J. Parker’s. ‘Use a sharp pair of secateurs to cut the stems back to three buds from the base of the plant. Again, this will maintain a tidy display but also encourage vigorous new growth and an abundance of blooms.’

If you need to sharpen your secateurs, a sharpening block like the Niwaki Sharpening Stone from Amazon can make the task easier.

There are other climbing plants you can prune in January, too, like clematis and Virginia creeper.

So, those are the plants to cut back hard in midwinter if you want even better displays this spring, summer and autumn. More really is *more* this season.