How to Prune to Height

Prune at the right time of year, which varies among plants. In general, prune early spring-blooming bushes, such as forsythias and lilacs, after flowering. Prune late spring, summer and fall blooming shrubs, such as crepe myrtles and rose of Sharons, before new growth in the spring.

Choose limbs selectively to maintain the shape of the bush -- some hedges are often cut uniformly across the top. If you want to continue to enjoy your plant, prune up to one-third of the shrub at one time. If necessary, you can then reduce the height over several years to achieve your goal.

Prune the limbs back 1/4-inch above the parent branches, nodes or buds at the desired height. Use clean, sharp pruning tools, such as a saw, hand clippers or lopping shears, depending on the size of the branches. Cut the branch at a slight angle rather than straight across. If you are trimming a hedge, such as a boxwood, to height, you can simply trim it across where you want with a pair of shears or an electric hedger.