Tag Archives: Pruning

Pruning is one of those things that intimidates new gardeners — even some of us who’ve been doing it for a long time. True, you can do a lot of damage if you go about it in the wrong way. And if you want to take on complex pruning jobs — such as restoring fruit trees or shaping hedges — it makes sense to get a good book on the subject. I recommendThe Pruning Book by Lee Reich. But, with a few simple guidelines, even a beginner can prune ornamental shrubs successfully. In general, your goal with any ornamental shrub is to:

Remove dead or damaged wood
Open up the shrub for better air movement
Reduce height, if desired

Start in late winter, before the leaves come out. It’s much easier to see what you’re working with. Plus, you get to be in the garden — at last!

Make sure you have a set of quality tools. For most jobs, you can get by with a set of hand-held pruners and a pruning saw for bigger branches. For big jobs, it’s handy to have a loppers to take care of branches that are too thick for the hand pruners. Don’t skimp on quality. Good tools are more expensive, but they make the job easier and more efficient.

It’s important to identify each shrub before you prune. If you don’t know what it is, find a neighbor that can help you, or contact a Master Gardener via your county cooperative extension service.