I’ve been asked, “When is a good time to prune my shrubs?”
My response is, “Why prune? Are they bedraggled, overgrown, diseased, have dead or dying branches?
If you are a DIYG, “Do it Yourself Gardener” and have a good sharp pair of pruners, a small folding saw, a solution of 10% bleach and water you have the necessary tools.
It is time consuming to cleanse after each cut but at least sterilize your tools after pruning each species to minimize the transfer of pathogens or insects.
Pruning after a shrub flowers is a good guide.
Forsythia, Hydrangea, Kerria, Mock Orange, Beauty Bush, Dwarf Flowering Almond, spring blooming Spirea, Deutzia, Lilac, Witch Hazel (before or after blooming), all respond nicely to after-flowering pruning.
It is not a good idea to prune during wet or humid conditions. As well as ruining your hairdo, pruning cuts are more susceptible to insect and disease invasion.
Most shrubs respond to pruning in the fall, (after their leaves have fallen) with flush, new growth in the spring.
Shrubs that respond to pruning before spring growth begins include, small stemmed trees such as Japanese Maple, Serviceberry, Azaleas, Barberries, burning bushes and others.
Pruning in the spring when new leaves begin to grow however, deprives the plant of energy to replace its foliage and should be restricted to removing dead or declining twigs and branches.
For a complete list of pruning schedules for shrubs ask for the publication C110 from the WSU Spokane County Master Gardeners.
Last winter left most of my summer blooming spirea in terrible shape. Actually, they looked ghastly. So I pruned them to about 16 inches off the ground, turned away and hoped for the best. Low and Behold, five days later there was new growth. All summer those bushes looked like featured pictures in a gardening magazine. So my advice to you is Be Bold in you’re pruning regime.
Three Forms
Three main forms of landscapes shrubs include:
1. Vase shaped, Mock Orange, Lilac and Red-Osier Dogwood.
2. Arching or Weeping, Forsythia and Beauty Bush.
3. Rounded or Mounding, Burning Bush, Flowering Quince and Hydrangea.
Four methods
Four main methods of pruning include:
1. Removing weakest stems at ground level
2. Reducing size and density by cutting side branch to the trunk
3. Removing entire plant to ground level
4. Shearing/removing outer foliage for a formal appearance
I always like to add the Pony-Tail method:
Scoop up all the branches, hold them tight, clip the tops and the branches will fall in a nice mounded effect.
Surveying the landscape after all your hard work and you are reminded of the first haircut you gave your kids, it might be time to call the Pros.
There are good Landscape Maintenance companies in our area.
Pruning trees is a difference conversation.
— Margaret A. Swenson is a Washington State University Spokane County Master Gardeners. To contact her, lot onto http://spokane-county.wsu.edu/spokane/ or call 509-477-2181 .
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