Shrubbery is a vital factor in your landscape. It can add to the lush greenery and improve the curb appeal and increase the value of your home. Shrubs can be easily grown and provide stunning foliage for your lawn. It doesn’t need constant maintenance, but it requires routine pruning, along with the other plants to maintain its appearance. Unfortunately, without proper shrub pruning knowledge and experience, you can potentially cause extensive damage to the plant.

Proper pruning comes with many benefits—better health, bigger flowers, and lush and greener foliage. Knowing the exact time and the proper way of making cuts is essential for the growth of plants. Improper pruning techniques lop off next year’s flowers, stunt the plant’s growth, or even kill the shrub outright. Taking the time to learn how a bush or a shrub responds to pruning can ultimately help you understand how a well-placed cut can solve many problems. 

Determining the right time is the first step to ensure successful pruning. Prune shrubs that form flowers on new wood or branches in spring and blooms in summer, such as rose-of-Sharon and summersweet, in late February or early March. This helps the plant produce fewer but larger flowers in the first year. Pruning helps diffuse the stored energy of the plant to fewer flower buds, allowing the ones left behind to consume more. When you prune spring-flowering shrubs right after bloom, it can help them grow new branches and buds for the rest of the growing season. In case you miss the right time to prune, wait until the flowers turn brown. 

Pruning Tools

Having the right pruning tools can make the task easier

There are a variety of tools you can use for pruning, but if you are ever wondering “can I use a regular pair of scissors?” — the answer is no. 

Pruning tools have arc-shaped blades that can easily slice through small branches. Scissor action pruners are designed with 2 sharp blades that slide past one another. Anvil cut pruners come with a single blade made to slice a wide, flat surface. Hedge clippers are made with long, straight blades designed to cut small, green branches and tips and work best for shearing formal hedges. Pruning saws have blades that come in different shapes and sizes to cut larger branches and small trunks. 

For best results, keep the blades sharp at all times and oil them regularly. Also, clean and disinfect your pruning tools every after use to prevent the spread of plant diseases. 

Shrub Pruning Techniques

Pruning helps improve the shape and appearance of your shrubs

There are 5 basic techniques that you can use for pruning shrubs. You can even combine different techniques for an efficient pruning job. Here are the techniques on how to prune plants effectively.

  • Pinching Back – This technique uses your fingers to pinch off the terminal bud of the branch to encourage the development of lateral branches, preventing the need to prune more in the future. 
  • Heading Back – This method is similar to pinching back but you need to use a pruning tool to remove the terminal bud by trimming the branch at an angle, about 0.25 inch above the branch bud and sloping down and away from the branch. This will help stimulate the branches that are about 6 to 8 inches below the cut. The cut near the bud will influence the direction of the growth of the branch. The bud that faces outward will result in the best shape. 
  • Thinning – This technique involves the removal of the branches while leaving the terminal bud. Locate the branch collar (the bulge where the branch meets the stem) and make the cut, but do not leave a stub. It helps the plant develop a more open shape, without making significant changes to its overall shape, size, and growth habits. 
  • Renewal or Rejuvenation Pruning – The renewal pruning method involves the cutting of the oldest branches and stems growing at the base of the shrub and then applying the thinning technique to promote regrowth. It works best for overgrown shrubs and not blooming well. 
  • Shearing – This technique involves cutting off the branch tips. However, shearing works best for formal hedges because it changes the natural shape of the shrub and encourages the thick exterior growth of the plant.

Dos and Don’ts of Shrub Pruning

DOs:

Using the right tools can protect the health of your plant

  • DO Use the Right Tools

Investing in the right pruning tools (like a hand saw, lopping shears, and hedge shears) is important for pruning shrubbery. To keep them in good shape and prevent it from rusting, they must be maintained regularly. If you have a hand pruning saw, make sure to keep the blade lubricated and its handle oiled.

  • DO Prune Flowering Shrubs at the Right Time of the Year

When it comes to determining the best time of the year to prune, it always depends on the species of the shrub. For instance, you should never prune spring-flowering during the fall or winter months as it can affect their growth. Take time to research important information about the type of shrub you have to create an appropriate pruning schedule. Azalea, Beautybush, and Forsythia are some of the most common shrubs that flower in the spring.

Pruning encourage the shape and direction of the plant’s growth

  • DO Consider the Natural Shape of the Shrub 

The easiest shape to maintain is the natural form of your shrub. The natural shrub’s shape is another important factor to consider during the shrub-buying stage. Knowing what the plant looks like when it is fully grown will give you an idea of where to plant the shrub that will best fit your landscape and which technique to use to enhance its display potential.

  • DO Prune ¼ of the Shrub at a Time 

Expert gardeners never recommend trimming more than ¼ of the plant size to ensure it thrives. Pruning your plant excessively all at once can cause it to grow sooner. Cutting smaller sections can provide the shrub with everything it needs. Excessive trimming can cause the plant to grow in different directions, which results in other problems.

Don’ts:

  • DON’T Prune During the Fall 

Shrub trimming during the fall season is never recommended as it can encourage late-season growth and insufficient time to harden, which can cause the plant to grow weak and easily damaged during the cold season. The best time to give the plant a trim is when it is deep in dormancy.

Pruning dense shrubbery allows them to get adequate light and air

  • DON’T let the Shrub Become Too Dense

Shrubs that receive more light and proper air circulation tend to be healthier than those with compact centres. To thin a thick shrub, make sure to snip about ⅓ of its side branches where they connect to the main stem. If the shrub has multiple stems, trim the branches at ground level. Thinning dense shrub helps open up its centre so it can get enough light and air.

  • DON’T Leave Cuttings 

When trimming the plant’s side branches, snip off ¼ inch of its main stem. Cutting longer than necessary makes the plant more vulnerable to disease or insect infestation. Following the best practices in pruning allows the shrub to heal and stimulate proper regrowth,

Dave Lund Tree Service & Forestry Co. Ltd. helps maintain the health and beauty of your shrubs. We offer professional pruning services for residential and commercial clients at competitive rates. Call us today at (905) 884-0511 or send us your message through our contact page.