Pruning

PRUNING SHRUBS: One of the best ways to create a sustainable landscape is to prune appropriately. Proper pruning can lengthen the life of a plant. Different species of shrubs not only require different pruning techniques but there are appropriate times to prune woody plants, even within a species.

SHEARING: The most common technique is shearing or more affectionately coined "hack and whack". There are only a few shrubs that respond well to being cut back hard like this every season. Generally they are ones that bloom in the summer on new wood i.e., Spirea japonica (not the early blooming bridal wreath varieties), Ribes - alpine currant and Hydrangea aborescens 'Annabelle' the "mop head" hydrangea.

REJUVENATION PRUNING: Hydrangea paniculata 'Unique', 'Tardiva' and the like respond better to opening up the plant so that a butterfly could fly through it. First remove any dead, diseased or crossing branches. Then tip growth can be cut back to a strong leader to encourage sturdier branching to support the blooms. Other shrubs that respond well to this are Cornus - dogwood, Roses, Weigela

EVERGREENS: May and early June is a wonderful time to prune evergreens and many Taxus - yews, Buxus - boxwood and Alberta Spruce need it this season as they experienced a lot of tip browning or winter sun scald. Many times taking out long branches all the way back to a notch opens up overgrown evergreens and helps them put out new green growth. Evergreens do not respond favorably to "hack and whack".

SPRING BLOOMERS: Lilacs, Forsythia, Azalea, Rhododendron, Magnolia, etc. should be pruned with rejuvenation pruning right after flowering. With Lilacs it is suggested that 1/3 of the oldest canes be removed every year to help their flowering.