Wondering when you should prune or deadhead your garden plants? This handy garden pruning calendar will help!

Many people think of fall as the perfect time for pruning trees, shrubs, and garden plants. But not all pruning and deadheading should be done in the fall. In fact, there are several reasons why you may want to delay some of these tasks to a different time of year.

Getting rid of dead, damaged, or diseased plant parts and old fruits or seed heads is important for plant health and strength, allowing room for air circulation, sunlight, and new growth and blooms.

However, as this article from The Empress of Dirt explains, pruning is not always necessary or beneficial. While you will certainly want to removed any diseased or pest-infested parts of a plant from your garden, otherwise, remember that plants, animals, and microorganisms alike feed on decaying plant matter, so if you do prune, letting the trimmings lie may be the most sustainable option.

The calendar below provides a helpful guide for when you should prune certain types of plants in your garden:

Source: EmpressofDirt.net