There are many reasons why pruning our landscape plants, shrubs, and trees is important.   Promoting good plant health, achieving proper form and appearance, encouraging vigorous growth, and inviting plentiful blooms are just a few of the reasons proper pruning is important.  If done incorrectly however, pruning can have lasting negative effects on a landscape. 

What exactly is "proper pruning?" There are many elements to proper pruning techniques including timing, tools, technique, and knowledge of the plants themselves. Proper pruning principles can be learned, however it takes years of experience to develop the artistic eye to skillfully prune a specimen tree to bring out its full structural beauty or learn which perennial plants benefit from deadheading.

TOOLS

Pruning & shearing tools can range from very simple to very expensive, however there are only three tools that are absolutely needed to get almost any job done.  A good pair of hand pruners is the most important tool you can own, followed by loppers and shears.  Keeping these tools sharp and clean is almost as important as the specific tools themselves.  Dirty, dull, and misused tools can lead to plant damage, spread of disease, or even injuries to the operator.

TECHNIQUES

Successful pruning is best achieved by knowing what the plant is suppose to look like naturally, as well as an understanding of how the plant will react to shearing or formal pruning.  Unless you live on Rodeo Drive in Hollywood, CA, shearing your shrubs to look like Disney characters is not what Mother Nature had intended for the plant, and will require repeated maintenance to retain that shape.  This repeated shearing is very stressful to the plant.

To promote healthy plants, weak or dead wood should be removed on a regular basis.  This will improve the plant's appearance and discourage pests and diseases from attacking the plant or other plants on the property.  These dead canes and limbs are the most common points of entry for the attackers, so proper pruning and disposal of the infected parts is critical.  Most shrub pruning should consist of removal of dead, diseased, or large old wood.canes. Remove the canes by cutting them off as close to the ground as possible.  Eliminating these older canes lets more light into the shrub's canopy, which promotes branching and will help the shrub to fill in more evenly.  Never remove more than 1/3 of a shrub's mass or branches at one time, however.  This could cause serious damage to the plant.

At times, it is beneficial to shear or prune plants to encourage new growth.  Some shrubs benefit from being completely cut off near the ground, or copicing, in the fall.  Some such species are dogwood, willow, or spirea.  When these plants have become lanky and overgrown, they are cut down to promote more dense, younger branches to form.  Make sure you do some research before you copice your shrubs - you don't want to find out the hard way that they will not be coming back in the spring.

PRUNING & BLOOMING

Perhaps one of the most rewarding results of pruning is encouragement of robust bloom cycles.  Plants fall into many different categories relevant to their flowering characteristics.  Some plants will bloom only on new growth (new wood) from the current season, while some only bloom on past seasons' growth (old wood). Some plants will bloom once during a season or some may bloom repeatedly.  By deadheading some perennials, you may be able to extend the bloom time or force a second bloom from the plants.  Additionally, some annual species may complete their life cycle prematurely if the existing, spent (dead) blooms are not removed from the plant.  This cuts their value short in the summer landscape.

Many pruning disasters can be avoided before the landscape plan has even been drawn.  A plant's genetic code cannot be altered by pruning, and therefore the mature size and shape of a plant must be considered thoughtfully during the design phase.  All plants will eventually return back to their natural shape and size if left uncut.  Repeated, heavy pruning or shearing will leave the plant weak and vulnerable to insect and disease problems.  Simply put, it is imperative that the landscape plan is developed with the philosophy of using "the right plant in the right place."

Pruning can be a challenging yet rewarding task once one has accumulated the knowledge to do a skillful job of pruning.  Landscape Renovations staffs several individuals with the knowledge, training, and experience to correctly prune and care for all of your landscape plants.  With proper pruning we can help ensure that your landscape grows healthy, strives to reach its full potential, and always looks its best.  

More pruning resources:

Pruning Trees & Shrubs Presentation

Pruning Trees & Shrubs - U of M Extension