pruning for healthy shrubs & more flowers

Proper pruning methods can help keep your shrubs healthy and the desired size; and proper timing for pruning certain species can ensure more flowers!

hand pruning a small tree

Proper Pruning: Hand held by-pass pruners are recommended for pruning shrubs. Prune an existing twig or small branch that extends too far out from main plant by cutting that stem back just above an existing fork or node, keeping the node intact. The cut should be made say 4 to 8 inches inside the outer desired finished outline of the pruned plant. Always ensure that at least 80% of the original plant is retained.

Benefits of Proper Pruning: When a shrub is hand-pruned in this way, it retains its structural integrity, and has foliage throughout the shrub. It can be maintained at the desired size into the future without becoming overgrown. By contrast, if you prune with a power pruning saw, the shrub may primarily have foliage at the outermost perimeter, have an unnatural globe shape, and the inner branches may be uniformly smaller so it has less strength to withstand snow or ice In addition, if you prune using a power pruning saw, it can be difficult to keep the shrub at a small enough size, so the shrub may become overgrown and require future replacement.

Timing: Most shrubs should be pruned during dormancy.(winter or summer in the mid-Atlantic). Some flowering shrubs, such as rhododendron, azalea, and many varieties of hydrangea, set their next-year flower buds soon after this year's blooming. For these shrubs, if you time the pruning to be soon after their blossoms have died, then you will have more flowers the following year. See the example below and above of azaleas that are 40 years old but are still healthy and are easily maintained at desired size.

The above images show (1) an azalea prior to pruning: (2) smaller, natural shape of that shrub after pruning; and (3) that shrub with many flowers the following year