Pruning In Winter

[DecMikashimota]

Although labeled a season too chilly for gardening, Winter is actually a great time to prune.
It may be blanketed with snow outside, but sit tight for a moderately mellow day when the sun is shining and wind speeds are mild then investigate your trees and bushes. I’m sure that as soon as you whip the pruners out, you will see for yourself, Winter’s not that bad.

 

[Beth_B]

Well you don't say where you live or what USDA zone you are in but it is clearly not one of the northern states.

 

[marlingardener]

Here in Central Texas we prune in the "Js"--June, July, and January. Many of our native plants, like salvia greggii, will normally be browsed by deer or other herbivores in the summer. Since we don't allow deer in our flowerbeds we cut them back in the late spring, early summer. I prune roses, shrubs, and other perennials in January.
One big advantage is that for the natives the June prunings can be rooted in pots in the barn where it's shady and a trifle cooler, then I have plants to share or to pop into bare spots in the flowerbeds. The rose prunings in January go into a bucket of water as soon as they are cut, then I use rooting hormone and a perlite/vermiculite mix to root the cuttings (these are own root roses, not grafted ones). Of course, those stay in pots and are planted out in the fall, about 18 months after being started.