Avoiding late pruning and late nitrogen fertilization helps prevent what kind of damage?

Pruning and fertilization practices play a crucial role in how plants respond to seasonal changes, particularly as they approach winter. Avoiding late pruning and late nitrogen fertilization helps prevent cold weather damage.

Late pruning can stimulate new growth just before the colder months, which may not have enough time to harden off before freezing temperatures arrive. This new growth is more susceptible to frost damage. Similarly, applying nitrogen late in the growing season encourages new foliage and growth, which, if it occurs late, can also be vulnerable to freezing temperatures. By withholding these activities at the end of the growing season, plants can better prepare for the cold, enter dormancy properly, and reduce the risk of cold-related injury.

Other options, although important aspects of horticulture, do not directly connect to the timing of pruning or fertilization in relation to cold weather, which makes understanding the relationship between plant health, seasonal changes, and proper management critical for preventing cold damage.