If you’re itching to get outdoors and work on your garden, now is a good time to survey your landscape and decide what needs pruning. But keep in mind that not all plants need to be trimmed.
Landscape plants should be pruned to maintain or reduce their size; to remove undesirable growth; to remove dead or damaged branches; and to rejuvenate older plants to produce more vigorous foliage, flowers and fruits. In some cases, pruning is necessary to prevent damage to life and property.
Pruning isn’t as difficult as most people think, but there are proper techniques to keep in mind. Late winter or early spring (before new growth begins) generally is considered to be the optimum time to prune most plants. This is when plants’ wounds heal quickly without threat of insect or disease infection. However, plants that bloom in early spring, such as forsythia, magnolia and crabapples, should be pruned later in spring after their blooms fade. These early bloomers produce their flower buds on last year’s wood, so pruning early will remove many potential blooms. Trees that have large quantities of sap in the spring such as maple, birch and dogwood are not harmed by early spring pruning but can be pruned in mid-summer or late fall to avoid the sap bleeding.
It’s best to allow a tree or shrub to develop its natural shape as much as possible. However, removing selected branches because they are weak or formed at a poor angle to the trunk will help the rest of plant receive more sunlight. Thin this type of growth by removing unwanted branches at their point of origin. Leave a very small stub of about one-half to 2 inches, depending on the age of the branch, to avoid injury to the main branch or trunk.
If reduction in size is desired, a technique called heading back is recommended. Shorten branches by cutting back to a healthy side bud or branch that is pointing in the direction you want future growth to occur. Make your cut about one-fourth inch above the bud or branch.
Evergreen trees such as firs, pines and spruce are not pruned by the same methods as other plants. They can be encouraged to produce stockier trees by pinching the “candles” of new growth that emerge in late spring. Pinch out one-half of the candle when it reaches approximately 2 inches long. Use a sharp knife or your fingers to pinch instead of a shears, which can damage the needles surrounding the candle.
Whatever the tree or shrub, remember that topping or haircut trimming are not sound pruning practices. Topping results in numerous, fast-growing new shoots, which are much weaker and more susceptible to wood rots than the original growth, and are more likely to cause damage to property and power lines. Use the heading-back technique to reduce the plant’s height. This technique may be more costly in time or money, but the results are worth the extra effort.