How to: Ways to Prune Shrubs

Prune Shrubs By Thinning

• 1

  Cut back any limbs or branches rubbing against each other. Look for branches that may grow across each other during this year's growing season. Cut one of them back to avoid contact.

• 2

  Eliminate all but one leader branch in the center of the shrub. Lop off any other dominant branches back to the main stem or the "Y" in the branch.

• 3

  Remove excessive stem and branch growth with the pruning shears. The idea is to let air and light reach the interior of the shrub to keep bacteria and mold to a minimum.

Rejuvenating Old Shrubs

• 4

  Prune back old canes or limbs with lopping shears or a hand saw, back to the ground. Allow the new branches to grow and flower.

• 5

  Remove thin or scraggly stems or branches. These stems are generally less healthy and allow disease and pests to attack the shrub.

• 6

  Prune the remaining branches to various heights to keep the shrub from looking top-heavy. The assorted branch lengths allows the shrub to develop leaves all along the stems and not just at the very top.

Trim The Shrubs

• 7

  Trim the shrubs by cutting back to a predetermined height each year. Cut only the stems that do not conform to the natural growth of the shrub.

• 8

  Determine the time of year your shrubs set the flower buds for spring and summer. If your shrubs produce flowers from the previous year's growth, trim after the blooms fade. These shrubs include forsythia and azalea.

• 9

  Trim shrubs that flower in the summer in the early spring. Cut back the stems and branches before growth starts, but after the last known frost date. The cold weather may damage newly trimmed stems.