Pruning

It is important to understand one thing. Plants are living and they grow. It does not matter what type of plant you have in your landscape, at some point or another it is going to need some sort of pruning. The pruning may be for aesthetics, safety, or the overall health of the plant. Depending on what type of plant you have will usually determine when you prune it. Evergreens are best pruned in Late Summer. Evergreens need regular pruning. It is very difficult to prune an evergreen back and make it look right if it has been allowed to become extremely overgrown. Many evergreens will have a dead zone in the center and if you prune into it, it may take many years to fill back in if it does at all. Many other shrubs are best pruned when they are dormant (January-March). When the leaves are off of the plant you can see the architecture of the branches. This allows you to do a better job pruning when you are selective with your cuts. Rubbing and crossing branches, limbs that do not fit the natural growth of the plant, double leaders, and nuisance limbs should be removed. Whatever type of plant you have on your property it is good to set aside some time every year to see what their pruning needs are. Some years you may have very little in the way of pruning needs. Other years may require more work. Just think of this. It is easier to correct a problem when the plant is young by removing the branches when they are an inch in diameter than in the future whena branch may be a foot in diameter and weigh hundreds of pounds.