However, cutting back branches whenever you feel like it can negatively affect your shrubs health and performance.
Shrub species, bloom time, and growth habits all influence snipping schedules.
Read on to learn when to prune shrubs to appreciate the best blooms, vigor, and appearance.
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February and March are often common months in which to carry out this task.
However, the best months vary depending on the species and your climate.
Late winter or early spring shrub pruning encourages vigorous new growth and abundant blooming.
Most non-flowering shrubs grown for their foliage, bark, or fruit benefit from pruning at this time.
This means you wont see so many, if any, blooms that spring.
Avoid pruning shrubs after mid-August.
Pruning Evergreen Shrubs
Thebest time to prune evergreen shrubsis typically early springaround late March to early April.
you’re free to also continue to prune lightly for size and shape until late summer.
Pruning deciduous shrubs in spring immediately after new growth appears and then optionally again in mid-summer is standard.
Dont trim back too much in mid-summer.
The vigorous new growth will struggle to harden off before the first frosts arrive.
Trimming boxwoodsor other formal evergreen hedges is best done at least twice a year.
Start pruning in late spring or early summer once the new growth appears.
Avoid pruning shrubs in the fall.
Pruning encourages new growth that wont harden off sufficiently before the first frosts.
This makes it susceptible to winter injury.
The only time you shouldprune in the fallis to remove dead or diseased limbs.
If you prune shrubs too early in fall or early winter, this reduces their cold hardiness.
New growth can die when the hard frosts hit.
Pruning summer- or fall-flowering shrubs when they have new growth in the late spring or summer is too late.
