Prune with Patience: Timing Spring Cleanup in North Texas

Spring Pruning

If you garden in North Texas, you already know: our weather keeps us humble.

On average, mid-March marks our last hard freeze. But records show freezes as late as April 13. That unpredictability is exactly why timing your spring cleanup matters more than enthusiasm.

Wait on Perennial Pruning

I recommend holding off on cutting back perennials until March 1. Those dried stems and winter debris are doing more than looking messy:

• They insulate emerging growth from late cold snaps.
• They provide critical harborage for pollinators.

Many beneficial insects overwinter in hollow stems or in old organic matter resting on the soil. When we prune too early and then experience a late freeze, we risk damaging tender new growth and harming the very beneficials that help our gardens thrive.

On March 1, I reevaluate the 10-day forecast. If no hard freeze is in sight, I begin cleanup.

How I Approach Spring Pruning

• Cut perennials back appropriately once freeze risk diminishes.
• Prune shrubs only if needed, never removing more than one-third of the plant at a time.
• Hold off on woody bloomers that flower on old wood.

Plants like Oakleaf Hydrangea and many Viburnums bloom on last year’s growth. If you prune them before they flower, you are removing this season’s blooms. I wait until after flowering to shape them again, never taking more than one-third.

Too often I see early pruning driven by spring fever. Then a late freeze hits, and homeowners wonder why plants struggle to return or don’t return at all.

Mulch, Recycle, Rebuild

Once pruning is complete, it is the perfect time to mulch while beds are accessible.

An additional practice I have found incredibly beneficial is recycling clean plant debris:

• Finely chop non-diseased clippings.
• Spread them into the beds.
• Apply mulch over the top.
• Do the same with fallen leaves.

This builds rich organic matter over time. Earthworms, pill bugs, and crane flies are living proof that the soil ecosystem is thriving. And healthy soil produces resilient plants.

Spring is coming, but patience pays.

Happy pruning… just do not jump the gun too soon. 😉