How To Prune Flowering Shrubs And The Secret Behind It All

You can’t escape the blooms of spring. You might try to hide from the world with a blanket and a good book, but you know it’s futile because every single person in your town is going to be outside taking advantage of the nice weather. Prune is the process of cutting back an entire plant to keep it looking nice And truthfully, who can blame them?

The sight of wildflowers popping up everywhere is enough to make your heart sing and snap you out of that winter blues. Depending on where you live, however, you may not have as much access to these blooms as others.

For example, if you have a yard full of flowering shrubs like jasmine or honeysuckle, then it’s going to be hard for you if those are all blooming at once. It can be tempting to cut some back to give the rest room for rest or prevent further growth but this is one of the biggest mistakes people can make when it comes to pruning flowering shrubs. Follow these steps and let us show you how pruning flowering shrubs can benefit your plants instead!

What Is Pruning?

Pruning is the process of cutting back an entire plant to keep it looking nice. When you prune a shrub, you’re removing the old growth and branches in order to create a more compact shape and keep it safe from the elements.

Pruning shrubs can be done at any time of the year, but spring is probably the best time to get started. While some types of plants are pruned all year round (like roses), most flowering plants are pruned in the spring. This is when they are blooming and getting ready to set seeds so they look their best. You can prune in the fall too, but it’s usually not done with the same enthusiasm as in spring.

How To Prune Flowering Shrubs

There are many different types of pruning for different types of plants, but for flowering shrubs, the most important thing to remember is that you want to remove only the branches and not the leaves. That’s because the leaves are where the flowers and new growth are located. If you’re unsure about removing a branch, just pinch the stem between your fingers and keep the plant looking neat. If a branch is too long, you can always pinch it to stop the growth.

For deciduous shrubs like roses or even many types of roses, you want to remove the old bloom and bud branches. For evergreen shrubs and trees, you may see some people remove the old branches in winter but in most climates, you don’t need to. You can also trim back the new growth in winter if it’s starting to outgrow the tree.

The Benefits of Shrub Pruning

There are many benefits of pruning shrubs. First and foremost, it will help your plants look their best. In addition, it will increase the number of blooms and give the shrub a more compact shape.

Finally, it will help the shrub get healthier and more resilient in the future. By pruning your shrubs, you can help prevent the shrubs from becoming too tall or too wide. In many cases, shrubs will start to grow wider if they aren’t pruned back often enough. And, of course, you don’t want to let any of your shrubs get too tall. Also, with all of the best flowering shrubs, you’ll want them to be as compact as possible. With shrubs, you typically want them to be about waist-high.

Any taller and you start to look a little like a tree. By pruning in the spring, you can also shape your plants to be more attractive. For example, you can shape a hedge so it’s shaped like an arch. By removing branches, you can also increase airflow through the shrub and reduce the risk of your shrub getting too much sun.

Shrub Pruning Schedule

As you prune your shrubs, remember that you don’t need to prune them back every year. In fact, many experts recommend pruning shrubs every 4 or 5 years. This will depend on many different factors, but generally speaking, you’ll want to prune your shrubs when they are at the height of their bloom. And, of course, how old the shrubs are will play a role in when you prune them.

For example, if you have a shrub that is 10 years old, you don’t necessarily want to prune it right after it blooms. You should wait until the shrub has finished blooming and then prune it back.

Exceptions to the Shrub Pruning Rule

With shrubs, you can make an exception to the rule and prune back when the shrub is finished blooming. For example, you might prune back a honeysuckle shrub if it’s finished blooming. However, it’s important to note that you don’t want to prune back a shrub when it is finished blooming. The exception to this rule is if you prune back a shrub when it is finished blooming and it has become too tall.

Conclusion

Pruning is one of the most essential parts of garden maintenance, and it can make a huge difference in the health and appearance of your plants. In order to keep your plants looking their best, it’s important to prune them back when they are at their height. Doing this will prevent your plants from becoming too tall or too wide.

With flowering shrubs, you want to remove only the branches and not the leaves. This is because the leaves are where the flowers and new growth are located. By pruning your shrubs when they are at the height of their bloom, you can also shape them to be more attractive and increase airflow through the shrub.