A common question we get when the snow melts and spring breaks is “When should I prune?”
Most shrubs don’t require regular pruning in order to be beautiful and healthy. ย Enjoy your low maintenance landscape, and just prune any diseased or dead branches in the spring after new growth has flushed out. ย If you do want to prune to improve the shape, encourage rebloom or rejuvenate an over-grown shrub,ย use a pair of sharp bypass pruners and cut straight across the branch (not at an angle). ย Aim to cut back about 1/3 from the tip, just above a big bud.
As for when is the best time to prune, the answer depends upon your plant and variety. ย Plants that bloom on old wood (generally those that bloom earlier in spring) should only be pruned after they finish blooming during the current year. ย Plants that bloom on new wood can be pruned in the spring, after the new growth is beginning to flush out. ย Linked below is a nice pruning tip sheet from Proven Winners that includes a list of common shrubs (Azalea, Forsythia, Ninebark, Spirea, Weigela, Hydrangea, Red-twig dogwood) that grow on old wood vs. new wood.
Got more questions? ย Give us a call or stop in!
