Pruning shrubs at the correct time is key to ensuring they grow healthy, producing plenty of lush green foliage and fabulous flowers. In fact, did you know that pruning shrubs can actually make them grow bigger? An annual prune can stimulate vigorous growth, ensuring the plant remains happy and healthy.
However, to have this effect, it’s important you get the loppers out at the right time of year. The perfect time to prune a shrub depends on the type of plant and the nous of the person holding the shears, but if you feel that know-how is a little lacking, then fear not; with the help of Gardeners Dream, here’s our guide on when to prune shrubs for optimum health and growth.
Spring-Flowering Shrubs
Most shrubs that produce flowers in spring can be pruned immediately after flowering. Early flowering shrubs include lilac, forsythia, ribes, and rhododendron. This means getting the secateurs out in summer.
While it may seem odd to prune deciduous shrubs at the height of the growing season, there is a good reason to do so. Pruning spring-blooming shrubs at this time of year removes many of the green leaves that store nourishment.
Doing so prevents strong leafy growth, and provides the space and energy for even more flower buds to form the following spring. New flower buds appear on last year’s growth with spring-flowering shrubs. Therefore, pruning immediately after flowering gives the plant plenty of time to produce fresh new growth before the season is out.
When pruning spring-flowering shrubs, cut back the oldest stems first. Doing this allows new growth to flourish with an abundance of gorgeous blooms. Aim to cut back around a third of the stems down to ground level.
Summer-Blooming Shrubs
Late flowering shrubs, such as buddleia, fuchsia, and hydrangea paniculata, benefit from pruning from early spring. These plants flower on the current season’s growth, so pruning before growth begins affords them plenty of time for new growth to mature before flowering.
The best time to prune is as early in the season as possible without risking frost damage to the cut stems. Avoid winter pruning, as this can lead to weak branches and damage younger stems.
You may wish to lightly prune the summer and autumn flowering shrubs in late summer or late autumn to remove spent flowers before the dormant season.
When To Prune Evergreen Shrubs
The ideal time for pruning evergreens is early spring to mid-spring, just before the growing season begins. Wait until the risk of frost has passed to prevent frost from damaging the cut stems. If the evergreen shrubs in question bloom in early spring, hold off until after flowering. Remove about a third of the shrub’s old stems to allow newer stems to flourish.
Informal hedges only need pruned once a year to keep them happy and healthy in their natural form. However, a more formal hedge may require up to three pruning sessions a year to maintain its neat size and attractive shape. When pruning hedges, check for nesting birds before you start. Disturbing a bird nest that is being used or built is an offence, so carefully inspect the area before you begin chopping away.
How To Prune A Shrub
Start by examining the plant for any signs of damage, diseased wood, or overgrown shoots. Remove any damaged or dead stems first, then remove crossing branches. If the plant appears overcrowded remove around a third of the branches, concentrating on old wood to let new stems thrive.
Summer and autumn flowering shrubs that bloom on new growth cope well with a harder prune and can be cut back quite far in early spring.
When pruning a shrub make a clean cut diagonally just above an outward-facing bud. Ensure the secateurs point downwards, away from the bud, to ensure water doesn’t pool in the cut, damaging the remaining stems.
What Tools Do You Need For Successful Pruning?
Using the right tools for the job makes light work of pruning trees and shrubs. It also helps prevent pruning scars and reduces the amount of stress the plant goes through. Clean cuts allow the plants to heal faster and continue producing new growth.
Loppers
Loppers are a useful tool for cutting medium-sized branches. If the piece you wish to cut is too thick for secateurs but not quite wide enough to require a power tool, loppers will do the job just right. Loppers come in bypass and anvil versions and usually have quite long handles, making it easy to reach taller branches.
Pruning Saw
A pruning saw is a useful hand-cutting tool for cutting thicker branches. Most pruning saws can deal with branches over 5cm in circumference. They boast strong-toothed edges to help make the job easier and are slim enough in design to fit neatly between the branches.
Secateurs
Secateurs are like mini loppers. They do much the same job but are small enough to hold in one hand, which makes them easy to use on stems and thin branches. Secateurs are handy for deadheading spent blooms and trimming overgrown shoots.
Hedge Shears
Similar to loppers, hedge shears use a scissor-like bypass motion to prune hedges, returning them to a neat, manicured state. They are well-suited for trimming new shoots and removing any branch tips that make the hedge look untidy.
Power Tools
Power tools aren’t usually necessary for the routine pruning of shrubs. However, they can get the job done a lot faster and with less physical effort. Hedge trimmers and chainsaws are the most commonly used power tools for pruning trees and shrubs.
The Bottom Line
Pruning trees and shrubs keeps them looking neat, but it also improves the plant’s health and helps it form new growth. Regular pruning is the best way to keep your garden shrubs free of dead and damaged branches. It also helps prevent diseases from spreading quickly through a plant.
Whether your garden is filled with evergreen or deciduous shrubs, they all benefit from being at least lightly pruned annually. Avoid pruning from early to late winter, as dormant pruning can damage the plant. As a general rule, the best time to prune shrubs is from early spring to late summer, depending on when the plant flowers.
Next, if you’re wondering which vegetables, fruits and herbs thrive in raised garden beds, then you know what to do.
