Pruning is a time-honored lawn care procedure, and for good reason. There are multiple forms of pruning, but they all serve the valuable purpose of eliminating dead or overrun stems and branches. Thinning cuts refer to removing branches at the point where they emerge. Alternately, “heading back” involves cutting a smaller part of the branch. There is a long roster of benefits that can result from pruning; these include training young and growing plants, revitalizing plants that are older or have been improperly monitored for years, and repairing plants that have been injured.
Should You Be Pruning During Spring?
What to use and what you should be pruning?
Another reason why pruning is so well-loved is that it is so easy to complete. All you need to use in order to prune is a working pair of hand shears, loppers, pole pruners, or hedge shears. Meanwhile, there are many different types of branches and shrubs that are acceptable to prune. Perhaps the most common are damaged branches, as these can have a negative effect on the growth and shape of the tree. If a tree has lost its original shape as a result of a storm or dangerous weather event, you may well need to prune the tree in order to get it back to its normal form. It is also important to consider that there are safety benefits to pruning. For example, if your tree is growing in the direction of your house (or if you have branches intruding on your house), pruning should absolutely be done in order to reshape your tree and protect your home.
When should you prune?
The issue of when to prune necessitates considering the type of plant you will be trimming. If you are looking to prune a tree, there really aren’t any major restrictions. Generally, pruning trees when they are not in bloom is better practice. This means that if you have deciduous trees, wait until the fall before pruning. Meanwhile, if you have coniferous trees, you can prune at any time. However, be mindful that you don’t want to simply be pruning recklessly. Only prune branches that have been misshapen or will harm the shape of the tree.
When dealing with shrubs and smaller plants, it is very important that you are not pruning while they are in bloom. For this reason, pruning during the fall is best. If you prune during this time of year, you will inhibit growth in the shrub and it will not bloom properly. Most likely, the chief reason you have the shrub is to enjoy its flowers, and they will be compromised if you prune during the growing season.
Pruning is a necessary lawn care procedure, and it is generally quite easy. In order to maintain a healthy tree or shrub, just be mindful of which type of plant you have and when it is okay for you to be pruning it.
