\u2713 Help direct the plant\u2019s growth
\u2713 Improve or maintain health and vitality
\u2713 Increase flowering or growth<\/p>
Trimming will not:<\/strong><\/p> \u2717 Stop a plant from growing to its mature size Note: We\u2019ll use the terms trim<\/em> and prune<\/em> interchangeably. There may be slight differences, but for our purposes, we\u2019ll use both.<\/p> Before you start trimming, consider a few key things:<\/p> Knowing your species is a key starting point. It will guide most of your decisions along the way. If you know the variety, even better. If you\u2019re unsure, contact your local Cooperative Extension office. There are also smartphone apps that will help you ID what you see.<\/p> How tall and wide does it naturally grow? What is its natural shape? <\/p> If you have a plant that reaches 15 feet at maturity, don\u2019t try to keep it at 5 feet. Similarly, if your bush tends to grow in a tall, columnar shape, choose a different species to plant in front of your first-story picture window. <\/p> Word to the wise:<\/strong> If, after research and talking with local experts, you realize your bush isn’t a great fit for its current location, it may be time to remove it<\/a>. Consider relocating the bush to another area of your landscape or donating it to another homeowner.<\/p> Note on tools: The most important way to begin your trimming session is with clean, sharp tools.<\/p> Clean:<\/strong> If you\u2019ve used your hand pruners on diseased plants, clean them with rubbing alcohol or a bleach solution before pruning your shrubs.<\/p> Sharp: <\/strong>Dull tools are not only frustrating to work with, a cut that leaves the wood torn or ripped can expose the plant to insects and disease. In contrast, a clean cut will heal quickly and properly. If you can\u2019t sharpen them yourself, ask your local small engine repair shop if they provide this service.<\/p> To shear or to thin? That is the question. But first, let\u2019s define our terms.<\/p> Shear<\/a>: <\/strong>Cutting with electric or hand-held hedge shears. Cuts are indiscriminate. This method is the most time-efficient but not the best for long-term health.<\/p> Thin<\/a>:<\/strong> Cutting back to the main stem or to a lateral branch or bud. Cuts are not<\/em> indiscriminate.<\/p> The experts agree: thinning<\/strong> is the way to go. To thin a branch, you\u2019ll need to cut it back to a bud or to the main stem. In other words, don\u2019t indiscriminately cut the new growth that shoots out; cut it back to a bud or back to the main stem. If you\u2019re doing final shaping cuts (see flowering bushes section below), cutting at random heights is fine (in moderation). <\/p> Remember to follow the rule of one-third<\/strong>: Don\u2019t remove more than one-third of the total amount of wood at any pruning session. <\/p> How to thin your bushes:<\/strong> To thin, make an angled cut<\/a> about one-half inch above a bud if the plant has alternating buds. If a plant has buds directly opposite one another, cut just below the buds at an angle. <\/p> Cutting in this way stimulates those buds to put out new growth. If your plants are too leggy, this is especially useful because it helps the shrub to become bushier. As we mentioned above, you also can remove the branch back to the main limb to increase airflow or remove branches you don\u2019t want.<\/p> One exception<\/strong> to the rule of one-third is rejuvenation pruning. Rejuvenation<\/strong> pruning<\/strong> is a pruning technique that helps rejuvenate plants that are just starting to become too woody or overgrown. If you want to DIY, do your research before you jump in with your saw in hand. <\/p> According to Colorado State<\/a>, rejuvenation pruning is most successful when at least two-thirds of the branches are alive and have foliage. To do this type of pruning, cut all of the branches back to 6-12 inches above ground level.<\/p> It\u2019s important to do rejuvenation pruning in the late dormant season<\/a> — late winter to early spring, even for bushes that set their blooms last year, like forsythia. Know that you\u2019ll lose blooms for one to three years at least<\/em>, but you\u2019ll have saved your plant in the long run.<\/p> Here are a few species that can handle<\/strong> rejuvenation pruning:<\/p> Caveat: Recommendations may vary by climate or variety of plant. Ask your local Cooperative Extension agent for more information before you cut your beloved bush to the ground.<\/em><\/p> \u2713 Lilac These species do <\/strong>not<\/em><\/strong> handle<\/strong> rejuvenation pruning:<\/p> \u2717 Boxwoods Sources: Iowa State University<\/a>, University of Georgia<\/a>, University of Maryland<\/a><\/p> Another approach to thinning<\/a> is called renewal pruning<\/strong>. It\u2019s simple: Remove one-third of the oldest stems each year for three years. (Cut them back to the ground.) After the third year, you\u2019ll have removed all of the old wood. This gets rid of old wood and leaves only fresh, new wood going forward. <\/p> Renewal pruning is best used on healthy shrubs to keep them healthy. It\u2019s a good technique to use in the years after you do rejuvenation pruning for overgrown shrubs.<\/p> Finally, experts agree that shearing<\/strong> can harm your bushes if you\u2019re not careful. Some say to avoid shearing completely<\/a> unless you are doing topiary pruning<\/a> or formal hedges<\/a>. Others say to use this practice sparingly and don\u2019t advise it more than once per year<\/a>.<\/p> Pro Tip:<\/strong> If you get a lot of snow in the winter, rounded and conical shapes deflect snow, but flat, wide tops collect it. You may still need to tie up certain shrubs or arborvitae, but choosing plants that naturally grow in these shapes will ease this winter chore and reduce the chance for structural damage.<\/p> To trim flowering bushes: <\/p> Step 1:<\/strong> Remove the three Ds: Damaged, Diseased, or Dead wood<\/p> You can do this step any time of year. This applies to deciduous or evergreen shrubs.<\/p> How do you know if the wood is dead? If you\u2019re unsure, cut a branch. Is there green<\/a> along the outer rim? That\u2019s living bark. If the branch is brittle, leafless, and brown along the outer rim, it\u2019s dead. If the whole interior is dead, you may need to replace the bush.<\/p> Step 2:<\/strong> Pick the right time of year <\/p> Does your bush flower in spring or summer? If it flowers in spring<\/a> (forsythia, azalea, viburnum), trim the bush right after it blooms. These bushes will bloom on \u201cold wood,\u201d meaning blooms that set last year. <\/p> If it flowers in summer<\/a> (tea olive, beautyberry, crape myrtle<\/a>), trim it in late winter or early spring before it begins to grow. These bushes flower on \u201cnew wood,\u201d or blooms that set this year. <\/p> Pruning at the right time of year means you won\u2019t have to worry about cutting off its flowering buds.<\/p> Step 3:<\/strong> Take thinning cuts <\/p> If the interior branches are alive, take your thinning cuts to encourage new growth. While you\u2019re at it, remove any crossing branches (branches that cross over or rub against another). This helps keep the branch structure open.<\/p> Step 4:<\/strong> Final shaping cuts<\/p> Once you\u2019ve opened up the plant to light and air, if there are still wispy branches that extend too far, trim those back<\/a> with your pruners.<\/p> Thinning and shaping cuts taken each year will prevent overgrowth in the future.<\/p> Many broad-leaved evergreens<\/a> — like hollies, gardenias, and pyracantha — only require light thinning and shaping each year. <\/p> If you prefer small evergreen plants, there are species that also require little if any pruning<\/a>, including gumpo azaleas and dwarf yaupon holly.<\/p> When to prune?<\/strong> Broad-leaved, spring-flowering evergreens should be pruned right after they bloom in the spring, just like spring-flowering deciduous shrubs. Non-flowering evergreens should be thinned, if necessary, in late winter or early spring<\/a> before they put on new growth but after the last frost<\/a>. <\/p> Some evergreens, such as yews, arborvitae, and hemlocks<\/a>, also can be pruned in early summer once new growth has begun. (In other words, you can prune some both before and after<\/em> new spring growth.)<\/p> Proper pruning may not be rocket science, but it does require patience, time, and a willingness to learn the proper techniques. Once you learn how, pruning shrubs can be an enjoyable part of the time you spend in your garden each year. <\/p> Remember to choose the right plant, know how big it will grow, and thin it during the proper growing season each year for the best results. You should have healthier, more vibrant blooms next year.<\/p> If your eyes start to cross at the thought of pruning your overgrown, gangly shrubs, contact one of our <\/em>local lawn care professionals<\/em><\/a> to tame your bushes in no time.\u00a0<\/em><\/p> Main Photo Credit: Quinn Dombrowski | Flickr<\/a> | CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Do your overgrown bushes make you tired? Slump no more! Come along as we share simple advice on taming your overgrown bushes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":5109,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[126],"tags":[342],"class_list":["post-5107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lawn-care-tips","tag-tree-care"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rsz_7622169750_2142e2971f_h.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sarah Bahr","author_link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/author\/sarah-bahr\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5107"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40833,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5107\/revisions\/40833"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\u2717 Reduce growth (If done correctly, it will increase blooming)<\/p> Right plant<\/h2>
![\"bright](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rsz_overgrown_sand_cherry_bush_in_need_of_trimming.jpg\")
Right tools<\/h2>
Right technique<\/h2>
![\"illustration](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rsz_lawnlove-thinning-illustration.png\")
<\/figure> ![\"illustration](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rsz_lawnlove-pruning-illustration.png\")
<\/figure>
\u2713 Spirea
\u2713 Forsythia
\u2713 Dogwood
\u2713 Honeysuckle
\u2713 Azalea
\u2713 Nandina
\u2713 Crape myrtle<\/p>
\u2717 Arborvitae
\u2717 Cypress
\u2717 Pines
\u2717 Junipers
\u2717 Cedar<\/p> Flowering bushes<\/h2>
![\"multi-colored](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rsz_annie-spratt-z05ge-tudb4-unsplash.jpg\")
Evergreen bushes<\/h2>
![\"white](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rsz_gardenia-bush-flower.jpg\")
A cut above<\/h2>