Pruning Trees and Shrubs

It's important to prune in the right season in the right way or you can damage your tree.

When it comes to your shrubs and trees, gardening experts will tell you that pruning - or cutting away dead, diseased and dense growth - is a perfect way to invigorate your plant. Done properly, pruning can strengthen a plant’s structure, allow more light and air to reach the interior portions, stimulate growth and enhance flower and fruit production.

It's important to prune in the right season and in the right way otherwise your plant could be exposed to disease and decay.

Types of Pruning

There are three methods of pruning: tip pruning, thinning and shearing.

Tip pruning is considered the simplest method; pruning shears are used to trim back wayward stems at an angle.

Thinning is done with lopping shears to remove entire older stems and branches where they split from the main trunk. It is done to preserve a shrub's or tree's natural shape and to rejuvenate older plants by allowing both light into interior regions and space for new growth.

Shearing requires hedge clippers or shears to create formal hedges with sharp-edged, even sides.

Rules of Thumb for Pruning

Remove damaged, dead branches at any time of year with a sharp, clean saw.

  • Pinch off the ends of branches that are growing too long.
  • Remove suckers - strong, fast developing shoots that grow straight up from roots or branches - from the main stem.
  • Remove flowers once they fade. Otherwise the total number of flowers produced will be significantly reduced.
  • In the second season of growth, cut back weak or spindly growth to strengthen your plants.
  • Remove any dead, damaged branches you missed during regular maintenance. If the bark is rubbed through where two branches meet, cut the weaker or inward growing branch to the base.

When to Prune

Pruning won’t help your plant if you don't do it in the right season.

Spring flowering shrubs, such as magnolias, azaleas and gardenias, should be pruned immediately after they have bloomed so they can have the entire summer to develop flower buds for the next season. If you prune later in the season, you'll cut off the flowers they might bear.

Summer flowering shrubs, such as hydrangea and Rose of Sharon, should be pruned in early to mid spring. Focus on pruning the shrub's tender, new growth once every spring because the best blooms and foundation come from the older, stronger branches.

Ornamental and fruit trees and shrubs, should be pruned during their dormant season in order to prevent disease and insect problems. Most gardeners prune woody plants when they're dormant because they're less vulnerable when cut.