How to Trim an Overgrown Landscape

Cut branches or twigs of flowering shrubs where they sprout from the main stem to thin the shrub. Cut the branches at a slight angle with pruning shears or a pruning saw; the angle allows water to flow off rather than sit on the cut. You can prune flowering shrubs at any time, but doing so in the winter will reduce the number of blooms in the spring. To avoid losing blossoms the following season, prune the shrubs shortly after they bloom.

Prune deciduous shrubs, those that shed their leaves in late autumn, by removing dead branches with pruning shears or a pruning saw. Thin the shrub further by cutting unwanted branches or twigs next to the main stem at a slight angle. The best time to prune deciduous shrubs is in late autumn, after the leaves have fallen off and the plant enters dormancy.

Remove dead branches from evergreens at any time, using a pruning saw or pruning shears. Trim branches back between 12 to 18 inches with hedge shears and shape as desired, or thin the shrub by cutting off branches at an angle near the main stem.

Trim deciduous hedges back after the leaves have fallen, cutting down to 1 foot below the height you desire. Trim evergreen hedges more conservatively by cutting down only 1 or 2 inches below new growth, which you can identify by the color variation. New growth is slightly lighter in color than the existing hedge.

Remove any dead or diseased branches with a pruning saw, cutting at a slight angle so water runs off of the cuts easily. Remove one branch of two that cross each other closely, as water accumulates in the crossed area, promoting disease and infection. Cut off any branches that hang low over walkways or interfere with power lines, as well as any spindly branches in the larger branches. Trim off any tree shoots, known as suckers, with pruning shears as close to the tree stump as possible.

Trim overgrown flowers vigorously with pruning shears or hedge shears. Cut off any brown or withering flowers, and trim the plants back to your desired height.

Pull weeds throughout the yard using a weeding trowel, making sure to get the entire root and not just the part of the weed that grows above ground. Trim overgrown grass without killing it by mowing no more than 1/3 of its height off each week.