Now is the Time for Selective Pruning & Here’s Why!

You might think that selective pruning can only be done in summer, but for many shrubs and trees, that’s not the case. Here are some reasons why you can start pruning now, and why you should leave it to your landscape professionals.

Why prune now?

Selective pruning is done at different times of the year for different reasons. Often in late summer of early fall, pruning can cause re-growth that doesn’t always harden in time for winter, so the shrub or tree can be damaged.

In the spring, selective pruning will help to keep the desired shape of your younger shrubs, by training the plant into the form you want. As your shrubs grow and mature, you should also prune them in the spring to stimulate growth and ensure that your plant remains healthy. And pruning at this time of year will be done to improve the quality of the plants by taking off old wood so that your shrubs will put their energy into flowers, fruit or foliage.

So pruning now will renovate your shrubs so that they are ready for summer and ready to grow. For example, some deciduous shrubs need maintenance pruning to keep them healthy and in scale with your existing landscape, while older shrubs might require some rejuvenation. Pruning now will clean them up so that they are healthy and growing strong, and your yard will look fresh and new.

What can’t you prune?

You can cause considerable damage to your plants with improper pruning, or pruning trees and shrubs at the wrong time of the year. One of the biggest mistakes is not to prune at all, which can slow growth and cause disease. A second mistake is to take off too little. When you just cut the tips, new branches grow so you are adding to, not reducing, the problem.

But not all shrubs or trees should be pruned now. Oak trees, for example, should be pruned in winter to prevent disease. And some shrubs, namely those that flower like lilacs, should be pruned with flowering in mind. They will do much better if they are pruned after they flower.

Why hire a professional?

Given how complicated pruning can be, if you do not have extensive knowledge about your plants and trees and are an experienced pruner, then hire a professional garden care company (how about us?). We will get it right the first time.

Hire professionals (How about LPCGC? instead) to ensure your safety and the health of your trees and shrubs. Pruning can be dangerous, especially when you are working on tall trees. Conifers, for example, that are pruned back more than necessary rarely recover. And since the overall health and appearance is affected by pruning, so, too, is the curb appeal of your property.

So if you don’t have the skills, why not leave the heavy-duty work to your landscape professionals? Contact Lawrence Park Complete Garden Care.