Pruning – An Essential Part of Plant Care

Pruning is the selective removal of dead, dying or damaged plant parts including branches, buds, flowers, fruit and roots. It is an essential part of plant care that involves both soft-tissue (herbaceous) and woody plants like trees and shrubs. Pruning should be done on a regular basis to maintain a desirable appearance and improve a plant’s health.

A few of the reasons to prune include improving structure, safety and quality of flowering or fruit production, and controlling size. It also helps repair storm damage, open vistas and provide clearance for structures or traffic. Some common pruning techniques include shearing shrubs into a defined shape, thinning or crown reducing evergreens to reduce density and allowing more sunlight to reach interior foliage, removing suckers from rootstock or within limbs, eliminating crossing or rubbing branches, and removing water sprouts from limbs.

Different pruning goals require different pruning methods. For example, shearing shrubs into a defined form typically requires using a saw or a hedge trimmer, while reducing a plant’s density may require shears or hand pruners.

For some woody plants, such as conifers, pruning is done in the first two or three years to establish a basic shape and direction; after that, they don’t need much, if any pruning. Other woody plants, such as roses and fruit trees, require more frequent and extensive pruning to promote vigorous growth and increase their productivity.

Other purposes for pruning include creating a desired aesthetic, such as a symmetrical, balanced or pleasing shape; maintaining the health of the plant by removing diseased or insect-ridden limbs; and reducing the risk of failure during severe weather or as a result of old age. Some plants, such as roses and hydrangeas, need to be pruned throughout the blooming or growing season to remove spent blossoms and promote more abundant flowers and fruit.

Pruning can be done at any time of the year, but it’s best to perform some tasks in winter or early spring. This is especially important for shrubs and flowering or fruit trees, which can be severely injured by pruning at the wrong time of the year.

Proper pruning can make a significant difference in the health and appearance of your landscape. But it’s essential to be aware of the basics of how and why to prune and to keep these guidelines in mind when you do it. Steve points out that pruning is a little bit like raising children: If you don’t set your kids up for success during their early and formative years, they may wind up with problems later in life. The same is true for your plants. Proper pruning will ensure that they grow into the garden or landscape of your dreams. So, don’t be afraid to prune – but always remember the one-third rule! If you prune too much, it can be hard on your plants and may even kill them. Be sure to consult your local arborist for the right answers to your questions about what, when and how often to prune.

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