How to Prune Bueshes and Shrubs Correctly

The best way to prune bushes correctly is to cut dead or damaged branches, thin the bush for more air and light, and shape it according to the plant's natural form all with clean and sharp pruners. After doing this, care such as watering and mulching are important for the long-term health and growth of your shrub.

What is the Best Time to Prune Your Bushes?

Winter Pruning: We tested this a bunch of times and arrived at the conclusion that late winter, before new spring growth begins, is ideal for most pruning tasks.

Why? Because it's easier to see the structure of the hedges or fast-growing shrubs without leaves, and cuts heal quickly as growth resumes.

Fall Pruning: This time is also a good time to prune bushes and shrubs. However, we found that avoiding heavy pruning in fall is better because it can stimulate new growth that may not harden off before winter, leading to damage even on hardy evergreen shrubs.

Tools You'll Need

• Sharp, clean pruning shears for small branches

• Loppers for medium branches

• A pruning saw for large branches

  Tip from Our Experts: It is better if the tools are clean and disinfected before and after use to prevent the spread of disease, no matter whether you are trimming hanging plants or deadheading flowers.

The 5 Steps for Pruning Your Bush

Here are the prooven steps our experts allways take when they prune a bush:

1. Inspect the Plant: First, we look for dead, diseased, or damaged branches, which should be pruned first for plant health.

2. Remove Dead or Damaged Branches: It is best to cut these back to the point of origin or to a healthy outward-facing bud.

3. Thin for Light and Air: Remove overcrowded branches to improve light penetration and air circulation, cutting back to the base or to a main branch.

4. Shape the Bush: After removing unhealthy wood, prune for shape. Maintain the plant's natural habit rather than forcing it into an unnatural form which can kind of damage the plant.

5. Cut Back Overgrown Shrubs: If a shrub has become too large, you can cut it back significantly. Some species respond well to being cut down to a few inches above the ground (renewal pruning) but research your specific plant type first no matter if you trim formal shrubs or prune Blueberry bushes.

Expert Tip: Before you do all this make sure you allocate time to plant your garden and set clear if you want a border layout, a formal or informal garden layout, and more.

Caring for Your Shrub After Pruning

• Water and Mulch: After pruning, water the plant deeply and apply a layer of mulch to help retain moisture and protect the roots. Our experts found that this helps the shrub to recover and heal from the cuts because mulch protests and watering hydrates.

• Fertilize (if necessary): Lightly fertilize to encourage healthy regrowth, following the specific needs of the plant.

Useful Expert Tips

• Prune flowering bushes after they bloom to avoid cutting off this year's flowers.

• Always make cuts at a 45-degree angle to prevent water accumulation and promote healing, by pruning and trimming a bunch of bushes along the way, we experienced that this is quite important, so we always do it.

• For aesthetic pruning, always consider the natural shape of the bush so that the plant can grow better, this is one of the reasons why you should prune shrubs.

Sources

Nature and Sustainability uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies to support the facts we describe in our articles. Please read our editorial policy to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Pruning Shrubs general information: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/pruning-trees-and-shrubs, https://extension.umd.edu/resource/pruning-shrubs-and-hedges-home-garden, Tips on tree and shrub pruning - MSU Extension

2. The best time to prune shrubs: Tips on tree and shrub pruning - MSU Extension

3. Pruning large overgrown shrubs: Proper Time to Prune Trees and Shrubs | Yard and Garden (iastate.edu)

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Calin Oancea

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Calin has been in the garden industry for 5 years and knows a lot about gardening and plants. He owns this website and is responsible for most of the content.

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Liviu Burileanu

Liviu is an expert gardener who has farmed and grown plants for 15 years. He likes houseplants and also knows cybersecurity like the back of his hand.