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A general
rule of thumb is to prune plants after their flowering period.
But, within that rule are some practical details to follow.
While the plant is still dormant,
internal decisions are made about where to send the sap for best growth,
and when possible, plants should be pruned when dormant. However,
for spring blooming plants, pruning during dormancy will remove
flowering/fruiting shoots and that is not what you want. Spring
bloomers should be pruned after the flowers fade.
For other plants, a few words about
when NOT to prune.
- Never prune shrubs and trees when
they are in the process of leafing out or losing leaves.
- Pruning while plants are leafing
out just wastes the plant's energy.
- Pruning when leaves are falling
confuses the plant so it thinks it must be spring and starts trying
to grow again instead of settling down for it's winter
nap.
That said, let's get on to the
details.
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Late Winter-Early
Spring
- This is the best time to prune most
plants because it is before growth begins.
- Prune a few of the oldest canes
from all mature shrubs down to the ground.
- Trim deciduous hedges wider at the
base, narrower at the top.
- From dormant fruit trees - remove
weak, broken and crowded branches.
- Head back branches that have flower
buds.
- In spring, prune evergreens of
winter damaged wood and discolored foliage.
- Avoid pruning frozen wood.
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| Plant |
Instructions
For Pruning
|
| Apple |
Prune moderately.
Trim for low head. Keep main branches well spaced around tree. |
| Azalea |
To renew old
plants, fertilize well for one year. Then in spring, remove
any damaged or overgrown canes. |
| Cherry |
Prune moderately,
lightly prune the most vigorous shoots. |
| Grape |
Heavily prune old
wood back to the main vine. Cut previous year's growth back to
four or five buds. |
| Peach |
Prune for low,
ball-shaped top at a clean trunk. Vigorously prune one half of
previous year's growth. Keep center of tree open for good air
circulation. |
| Pear |
Prune lightly each
year. Thin excess branches to encourage a spreading tree.
Prune young tree to a central leader. |
| Plum |
Prune moderately
and a little each year at the crown to keep shoots coming on. |
| Barberry |
Prune lightly after
flowering to restore shape. |
| Elderberry |
After fruiting,
remove some of the oldest shoots at the ground, or cut back an
old plant hard to force a new crop of canes. |
| Hydrangia |
Prune Hills-of-Snow
variety back to the ground. For other varieties, remove weak
and dead growth and cut flowering stems back to two buds. |
| Roses |
(Hybrid, Tea and
Perpetual) After frosts, cut away dead and weak growth and
shorten remaining canes to four or five buds. |
| Snowberry |
Cut out old twiggy
canes. Cut back last season's growth of remaining parts to
three buds. |
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Late Spring-Early
Summer
- This is the season of greatest
growth.
- Remove some of the oldest canes of
mature shrubs after flowering. Pinch out tips to encourage
branching.
- Freely trim narrow-leaf evergreens
of new growth.
- Remove dead flowers from broad-leaf
evergreens to prevent formation of seed pods.
- Pinch any buds that may be starting
unwanted growth.
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| Plant |
Instructions
For Pruning
|
| Azalea |
Prune for shape
after all blooming has stopped. |
| Deutzia |
Prune lightly to
remove a few older branches and dead twigs after blooming has
stopped. |
| Dogwood |
After flowering,
remove dead wood. Other types, prune dead wood only to
preserve natural shape. |
| Forsythia |
After flowering,
remove a few older branches. For old, neglected plants, cut
back entire plant to about one foot, leave three to five
canes. |
| Honeysuckle |
Cut some of the
oldest wood to the ground every 4-5 years. Pinch shoots to
encourage branching. |
| Mountain
Laurel |
Prune lightly. Pinch
off clusters of spent blossoms. Remove a few old branches at
the ground to induce new growth from roots. |
| Privet |
In April, cut back
hard to rejuvenate old plants. |
| Rhododendron |
Same as Mount
Laurel. |
| Roses |
(Climbing) After
flowering, prune one half of the old growth at the ground.
Keep new shoots for next year's flowers. |
| Pine/Spruce |
Cut back candles on
side of branches of young trees to one half or less after
needles have expanded but before hardening. |
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Summer
- Summer pruning entails removal of
plant parts that are actively at work.
- Shear hedges regularly for
appearance.
- Prune some lower branches from
shade trees to develop clean trunks.
- Always be ready to pinch tips of
leafy shoots, but not until after flowering.
- Limit pruning done late in the
summer as new growth may be damaged by the coming low temperatures.
|
| Plant |
Instructions
For Pruning
|
| Apple |
Prune to encourage
good structure growth and support. |
| Blackberry |
Cut back new shoots
to approximately three and one half feet. |
| Crabapple |
Cut away weak
internal shoots and crowded branches to a crotch. Thin out
weeping and spreading forms to accentuate their growth
patterns. |
| Holly |
Prune any time of
the year to restore shape. |
| Raspberry |
Head back new canes
to approximately 22 inches. Remove spent canes and excess
shoots. |
| Roses |
Prune lightly to
shorten shoots only. Remove faded flowers (except for species
roses). |
| Privet |
Starting in June,
trim to shape three times at six week intervals. |
| Yew |
Trim to maintain
shape. |
| Wild
Cherry |
Prune
very lightly. Trim lower branches and burn the wilted foliage. |
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Fall-Winter
- Prune shade trees all winter for
general shaping and to repair damage.
- Prune shrubs once more in
September, especially to remove basal suckers.
- Avoid pruning evergreens.
- When removing heavy limbs, use
proper safety procedures.
|
| Plant |
Instructions
For Pruning
|
| Honeysuckle |
Remove gnarled and
diseased old wood. |
| Mock
Orange |
Remove a few of the
oldest canes every three to four years. |
| Peony |
(Herbaceous) Cut to
the ground as leaves mature and look dry. |
| Roses |
(Tea and Hybrid)
Lightly prune to prevent wind whipping and storm damage. |
| Fir |
Use sharp tools to
remove diseased or injured branches during very cold weather
only. |
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