How to Prune Shrubs, Evergreens & Bushes
When it comes to pruning evergreen trees, shrubs and bushes, less is more. Most evergreens naturally grow in a pleasing shape. Pruning of these types of plants should be restricted to preventing disease as well as controlling the size of the plant. Shaping the plant by cutting the ends off uniformly with hedge trimmers should be avoided. This can give your evergreen an unnatural shape. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Hard hat
- Protective goggles
- Protective clothing
- Liquid bleach
- Pruning loppers
- Pruning saw
- Pruning shears
- Chain saw
Instructions
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Always wear safety gloves and goggles when pruning branches. You should also consider wearing a hard hat If you are cutting branches over your head
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Identify the species of evergreen that you are dealing with. Every evergreen is different. By identifying your evergreen, you can determine the ideal shape of your species.
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Wait until mid-June or July to prune your evergreen trees and broadleaf flowering bushes such as azaleas. By the midpoint of the year, most evergreens have finished their flush of growth from spring, but will not have set buds for the next year. This will help give you an idea of how much of the plant should be pruned back and how to avoid pruning buds and killing future growth. Wait until December to prune conifers. During this time, the tree is dormant and there is little sap.
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Sharpen all of your tools before pruning your evergreen to avoid crushing the branches. Dip your cutting tools in bleach between removing each limb to help curb the spread of disease.
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Prune by selectively removing branches next to the plant's main stem to shape your evergreen rather than cutting the ends away from branches. Make cuts that angle away from your evergreen's trunk. Your cut should be made just outside of the fork of the tree and should not cut into the ridge of growth known as the 'branch collar.'
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Remove dead or diseased branches first, and then remove any branches that cross one another or grow too closely spaced together. Determine a shape and height for your tree, and remove branches to achieve this shape and height.
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Tips & Warnings
Never remove the top of a tree or prune by cutting a branch in half. Never remove more than a third of a tree's growth during a single pruning session.
