How to Prune Shrubs

If you find that the shrubs in your yard seem to be overtaking your landscaping, you are not alone. Shrubs, if not taken care of properly, can become overgrown and can overtake your view and other plants. In order to prevent this from happening, you must make sure you prune your shrubs on a regular basis.

Generally, there are two different methods of pruning. You can prune your shrubs to thin them out, which does not promote new growth, or you can prune them to head them off. In other words, you will prevent the shrub from growing too tall and help it to become thicker, but stimulate the buds to grow. Before you do any pruning to your shrubs, however, it is recommended that you research the type of shrub you have to make certain you are following any specific directions for that particular plant.

When you prune your shrubs, the first thing you are going to do is give them a thorough check to find any dead or diseased branches. You will also want to find any that are growing in a way that could prevent them from growing naturally, such as branches that are rubbing together or overlapping. These are the ones you will want to take care of first. You will want to cut the branch off just above the collar. This is the bumpy tissue that is at the junctions of the branch and the trunk of the shrub. By cutting here, you will give your shrub a chance to form a callous over the cut and allow it to heal quicker.

If you are pruning your shrub to promote growth, you will want to take your shears and place them about a quarter-inch from the bud. Make certain you cut in a downward motion and the cut is formed at a slant. This slanted cut will help to keep rainwater from soaking in and fungus from growing.

If you are wondering how to best decide upon how much height you should take from your shrub, it is best to stand back and look at it from a different angle. Find the tallest of the main branches and follow it down until you find a lower side branch connected to it that grows upward. You will want to cut the tallest or main branch off just above this area. If you are worried that this may be too much taken off, you need to remember that within the next six-months, because you have pruned it, your shrub will go through a tremendous growth period.

Many people often wonder when they should prune their shrubs. You will want to do some research on the type of shrub that it is as some are better to prune in the late spring, after they have bloomed and others need to be pruned in early spring, fall, or even early winter. Before you start pruning your shrubs, make certain you follow any specific instructions with the species.

Before you start pruning your shrubs, you will want to make certain you have all of the right tools required for the job. You will need to have a good quality pruning shears, which can be found at your local nursery for under $25. However, if you have a lot of shrubs that need to be pruned, you may want to go with a better quality item.

There are several different types of pruners to choose from. The bypass pruner, one of the more popular ones, is similar to a pair of large scissors with curved blades. The anvil pruner has one straight blade that comes down on an anvil and is great for removing dead wood. They are a little more difficult to use, compared to the bypass pruner. A ratchet pruner is similar to the anvil, but is much easier on the hands as it completes the cut in small stages.