Shrub Pruning Naturally

July, August and September are good months to prune most shrubs.

The technique of natural pruning is straightforward: control the size and shape of the shrub by removing long branches at their point of origin, deep within the plant. These openings direct light to the interior of the plant, allowing small branches and leaves within the shrub to develop.

In essence, young limbs within the plant are nurtured to replace older, larger limbs.

Compare natural hand pruning with shearing. When a plant is sheared, all cuts are made on exactly the same plane resulting in a formal but unnatural appearance. Although this is sometimes desired, it comes with an unintentional side-effect.

When pruning cuts are made along one plane, the dense growth limits sunlight from reaching into the plant. This prevents live growth within the plant and, over time, it comes to resemble an empty eggshell. Obviously shearing has its place in formal settings, especially for hedges. But for most landscapes in our area, hand pruning provides a more pleasing finish.

It is sometimes possible to transition plants from shearing and begin pruning them more naturally. Commonly this process begins in March or April and takes several years to complete.

If you would like a consultation with one of our certified arborists, please call. We’re always glad to hear from you.

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