Q: When is “late winter thru early spring” in S.E.Georgia? That’s when I understand I should be trimming my beautyberry and crepe myrtle.

A: You’re right to identify the correct season. Southeast Georgia winter weather is much different from the metro Atlanta area I most often write about. Here, we do winter pruning between December and March. Both of your plants flower on new wood so winter pruning does not diminish summer blooms (or beautyberry fruit). For the warmer parts of the state I think January and February would be good times to get pruning done before spring growth begins.