to cut or not to cut winter burn

Hey this minnesota winter was bad really bad and I have some trees and bushes that look horrible. My dog woods have life but I'm tempted to cut them to the ground.here are some pics let me know what you think.

My red bud tree looks horrible

But I'm glad to see life in all of these
I was really upset about this one though.

The yard still looks really good though.

I would leave the redbud alone. It's a pretty resilient tree.
The cotinus will be fine coming up from the roots.
I often coppice mine to the ground to promote larger/more colorful foliage anyway.
As for the spruce, is it a Skylands (picea orientalis)?
It may survive as with a 'skirt' of foliage, but I don't think it will reform a decent leader.
I am unfortunately familiar with the issue,
not from winter damage, but from deer antler rubbing.
Result is a vertically challenged remnant of it's former self with no sign of forming a new leader.
But you know, you take your losses in stride -
and I completely agree your yard looks fabulous regardless!

Thanks for the quick reply! And the advice

Is it okay to cut the smokebush down to the new growth?

Yes

Absolutely - they are tough. You can do it every year for size control and to make it denser and nicely colorful, you just don't get flowers on the current year's growth.

Your yard is lovely!

I cut and trimmed them today.I hope the dogwoods come back even bigger.

Lol forgot about one more my holly what do you guys think should I cut off the center branches?

Here's one for hope.I thought this guy wouldn't bloom but here he goes.

All my hollies took a beating this winter also; they look awful this spring - I haven't bothered cutting any of mine back yet, but as I'm not seeing significant growth high in any of the plants, I presume I will eventually have to cut back to the new growth.

I think this pine is done for he has growth on the 2 bottom branches.He even sprouted out new growth this spring but that all shriveled up and fell off.Should I cut him down to the ground?I want to move him also he is such an eye soar right now.

one more pine I am rooting for this guy.Lost pretty much of all his needles but there is new growth.

Dug him out today still debating on what to do.can I cut him all the way down with out killing him?

I think the first tree (the one you dug up) is a Serbian spruce, rather than a pine. I have a few tree spruces which for one reason or another have lost their leader and I don't recall any instance when the tree formed a new leader and developed normal growth. So if your tree survives, I'm not sure it will ever have a nice symmetric form. If you're fond of the tree & don't mind a tree with some character, I don't see any reason why you can't give it a chance & see what you get. I don't think any new growth is likely to form on the parts which now look dead, so I think you can cut it back. Good luck with it.

If it were me, I'd air layer one of the healthy stems and cut/plant once roots form. It never hurts to have a backup.

Hmm... interesting idea, Mipii.
I've never tried layering a spruce. Is it pretty reliable?
I had a beautiful Skylands spruce (golden foliage) which got deer-rubbed,
so currently is just a skirt of foliage at the base of the tree.
It's made no effort to form a new leader,
though there's nice new growth on the basal branches.
I wonder if I could try layering it to see if it forms a more upright tree?

I haven't tried layering many Conifers, but if they were mine, you bet I'd be trying...even if they were growing perfectly fine. If you have a branch low enough, do 'simple layering' (easiest method). Both methods will clone your tree -- minus the environmental defects. Your Skylands would be something I'd be desperately trying to duplicate.

If most conifers were that easy to layer - everybody would do it.

Anyone is welcome to try anything they want to, but I would save the time and plant a two dollar seedling and start over.

Yeah VV, sounds even better...where can I buy those $2 seedlings?

Dozens of online vendors - just google up whatever conifer you are after. Places like Musser Forests have been around for eons.

Samples:

http://www.musserforests.com/prod.asp?p=NOS

http://www.musserforests.com/prod.asp?p=SES

http://www.musserforests.com/prod.asp?p=ORSPR

http://www.musserforests.com/prod.asp?p=EWP

Want more?

Yes, yes, load me up please...while I peruse Musser Forests. Thanks!

Welp I had hope but now it looks like all the new growth is dying.bummer

That is a bummer. When did you first notice this pine was in decline?

Sorry for your losses Queenbeez.

This spring.I have had the tree I think 5 yrs so i will have to cut it down.I just don't understand why it even put out new growth though.

How is the drainage at your place? I know parts of Minnesota have experienced serious flooding, and maybe that on top of a difficult winter with heavy snow added to its demise. Do you know what species of pine you have?

It is a Vanderwolf Pine.No flooding here thank god we are about a mile from the Mississippi but its down hill.Last year I think he put out about a foots new growth too :(