Ever wonder if there’s a difference is between pruning and trimming? We see gardening experts talk about both, but sometimes it’s hard to know which one we should use in our gardens. And the words are used interchangeably in some contexts, which just makes things even more confusing.
Despite the confusion, there are differences between pruning and trimming. Yearly pruning is healthy for most shrubs and trees, while trimming is best reserved for hedges and keeping overgrown plants in-check. Keep reading for more tips you can use when deciding whether to prune or trim your plants.
Pruning Versus Trimming
Pruning is usually done to keep trees and shrubs healthy. Trimming is more focused on maintaining an attractive appearance. One’s more about practicality while the other’s more about aesthetics (though there is some overlap).
Pruning
When you’re pruning a plant, your focus is on removing dead branches or branches that are growing in the wrong place. You’re opening up the plant so it will grow healthier. There’s an aesthetic aspect to pruning, but its main goal is keeping the plant balanced and healthy.
Trimming
Trimming, on the other hand, involves shearing away the outer branch tips. It’s often used on hedge shrubs like boxwoods to maintain a neat appearance. Trimming doesn’t work for all types of plants, though. For most shrubs, if you just trim the edges and never prune you’ll end up with green leaves on the outside and a mass of dead leaves on the inside.
Pruning Tips
Pruning is mostly done by hand using hand pruners or loppers, like the ones Corona makes. For larger trees with branches more than 3 inches in diameter you’ll use a chainsaw or polesaw.
- Look up the optimal pruning time for whatever plant you’re about to start pruning. In general, prune spring-flowering plants after they bloom, summer-flowering plants early in the year when they’re dormant, and foliage plants any time except late autumn.
- You can prune dead or diseased branches and stems out any time of year.
- If you’re pruning diseased plants, removed the diseased branch by cutting back to healthy wood. Disinfect your pruning tools between each cut.
- Trim dead branches back to the base of the plant. For other branches, make your cuts above a leaf bud on the outside of the branch.
- Remove weak and crossing branches that will crowd the center of the plant and/or rub against stronger branches.
Trimming Tips
Not all shrubs respond well to regular trimming, so make sure you’re only trimming plants that grow well as hedges or ones that need cut-back to keep them from growing into other plants. You can trim with hand shears or with electric hedge trimmers.
- Trim frequently early in the growing season to control new growth.
- For most plants, don’t let the top of the hedge get wider than the bottom since that will shade the lower branches.
- Remember to prune as-needed to remove dead growth inside the hedge.
- Stop trimming about 6 weeks before the first autumn frost date in your area.
Now that you know what the differences are between pruning and trimming, you’ve got a good start on understanding the type of care your trees and shrubs need. And if you need some trimming or pruning equipment, stop by our location in Richardson, Texas. We carry a wide range of Cornona hand tools, as well as power equipment for larger trimming or pruning tasks, so you can keep your plants both healthy and attractive.
