Are some of your plants starting to look a bit scraggly? They probably need a haircut. Or at least the gardening equivalent.
For many plants, spring is the best time to trim or prune. In fact, trimming, pruning, and otherwise cleaning up your plants is one of the top garden tasks for this time of year.
Not all plants benefit from spring pruning, so it’s important to make sure you’re only cutting back the ones that need it. Otherwise, you could stop the plants from blooming this year. It’s also important to know the best ways to prune to keep your plants healthy.
Keep reading for tips on how and what to prune this spring!
Pruning Vs. Trimming
Pruning is usually done to keep trees and shrubs healthy. When you’re pruning a plant, your focus is on removing dead branches or branches that are growing in the wrong place. Pruning opens up the plant so it will grow healthier.
Trimming is more focused on maintaining an attractive appearance. It involves shearing away the outer branch tips and is often used on hedge shrubs like boxwoods. Trimming doesn’t work for all types of plants, though. For most shrubs, if you just trim the tips and never prune any branches you’ll end up with green leaves on the outside and a mass of dead twigs on the inside.
- Want more tips on how to trim and prune? Click to read our article “What’s The Difference Between Pruning And Trimming Your Trees and Shrubs?”
Cut Out The Dead, Damaged, and Diseased Stuff
One of the reasons for pruning in the spring is that it’s easy to tell what is and is not dead. As plants that were dormant over winter start growing again you’ll be able to tell which branches aren’t coming back to life and cut them out.
Whatever type of plant you’re pruning, it’s a good idea to start by cutting out anything that is dead, broken, damaged, or showing signs of disease. Make sure that you don’t put any diseased plant cutting in the compost heap so you don’t spread the problem to other parts of your garden.
Remember To Disinfect Pruning Tools
It’s a good idea to disinfect your cutting tools between uses, especially if you are trimming a diseased plant. You can do this using 70% isopropyl alcohol. Simply dip the tool in the alcohol or wipe it on. There’s no need to rinse the alcohol off before you go back to cutting; just wait for the tool to dry.
You can also disinfect your tools by soaking them in a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water for 30 minutes. If you use this method, make sure you rinse the tools with clean water afterward to prevent corrosion.
Plants To Prune In The Spring
Ornamental Grasses
Some plants, like ornamental grasses, come back up from the ground each year. For them, you’ll want to cut all of last year’s growth off a few inches above the soil. If you have just a few small grasses you can cut them back with hand tools. For large clumps of ornamental grass, however, you’ll probably want to use a string-line trimmer or hedge trimmer to make this task easier.
If you have evergreen or semi-evergreen grasses in your garden they won’t need cut-back so drastically. Simply put on a sturdy pair of gloves and pull out any clumps of dead foliage. In some cases, an extremely cold winter might have killed enough of the grass that you’ll need to cut it back by half to remove damaged foliage.
Clematis
If you’re growing clematis, look up when your cultivar needs to be pruned. You can cut clematis that bloom on new growth back to about 12 inches above the ground. For other clematis, wait to prune until after they flower. For all clematis, make your pruning cuts just above a pair of leaf buds.
Roses
As with other plants, start by removing dead or damaged canes. If there are any canes growing across each other, pick one to remove so the stems don’t rub. When you make a cut, do so at an angle just above an outward-facing leaf bud.
For shrub roses, cut the plant back by 1/2 to 2/3 depending on how tall you want it to be.
You’ll want to trim hybrid tea roses more aggressively, cutting out all but about five strong canes. Then, trim the remaining canes back to 1-foot above the ground.
For climbing roses, prune out canes that are crossing or too tall. On the canes you’re keeping, only cut them back far enough to remove dead wood.
Deciduous Shrubs and Trees
In general, you’ll want to prune summer-flowering trees and shrubs in late winter or early spring when they’re dormant. For spring-flowering plants, wait until after they bloom. You can prune foliage plants any time except late autumn.
For all the different types of trees and shrubs, you can prune dead or diseased branches and stems out any time of year. Trim dead branches back to the base of the plant or to the next live branch. For other branches, make your cuts above a leaf bud on the outside of the branch. As with roses, make sure you remove weak and crossing branches that will crowd the center of the plant and/or rub against stronger branches.
Evergreen Shrubs and Trees
The two best times to prune evergreens are in early spring after the last frost date or in mid-summer during the plants’ semi-dormant period. For broadleaf flowering evergreens like camellia or rhododendrons wait to prune until after they flower.
For most evergreens, you should plan to remove about 1/3 of the old wood each year. After taking out dead, diseased, or damaged branches and crowded shoots take a step back and look at the plant as a whole. Make sure that you’re pruning evenly throughout the plant so it doesn’t look lop-sided when you’re done.
- For more tips on evergreen care, check out our article “Pruning Evergreens.”
A Note On Hedge Trimming
Not all shrubs respond well to regular trimming. You should only trim plants that grow well as hedges or ones that need cut-back to keep them from crowding other plants. Hand shears or electric hedge trimmers are the best tools for this job.
For hedges, start trimming early in the growing season to control new growth. Make sure that you don’t let the top of the hedge get wider than the bottom since that will shade the lower branches. Also, remember to prune as-needed to remove dead growth inside the hedge.
Spring Pruning Tools
In order to prune and trim your plants this spring, you’re going to need the right tools. Hand pruners, loppers, and saws are the tools of choice for pruning. Most of these are hand-tools. However, for trimming larger branches, you can use a small chainsaw. For trimming hedges or cutting back dead grass, you’ll want to use hand shears or powered hedge trimmers.
If you need any new tools for spring pruning and trimming, then Richardson Saw & Lawnmower is a great place to get them. We carry top-quality hand and power tools by trusted brands including Corona, Echo, and Stihl. Stop by to see our fill selection.
