How to Prune Evergreen Shrubs Around the House
You'll find two types of evergreen shrubs: narrow-leaved, such as juniper and yew shrubs (also available as trees), and broad-leaved, as azaleas and rhododendrons are. If you have them both around your house, approach trimming differently with each kind. Pruning will help your evergreen shrubs survive transplanting, maintain a certain shape and height and stay healthy. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Narrow-Leaved Shrubs
-
1
Prune a narrow-leaved evergreen shrub for the first time one year after planting it. Trim it to keep it a certain size, following its growth habit without trying to shape it into a different one. Remove dead, broken and diseased branches.
-
2
Cut the tips of spreading evergreen shrubs once a year to promote a compact structure.
-
-
3
Cut shrubs that grow at least 1 foot per year to their growing point to keep them the size you want.
Broad-Leaved Shrubs
-
4
Thin broad-leaved evergreens when they're dormant to train them into the shape you want.
-
5
Remove dead, broken and diseased branches any time you see them to keep the shrub healthy.
-
6
Cut the shrub back to 6 inches from the ground at the end of the dormant season if its growth has become irregular.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The type of cutting tool you'll need depends on the shrub you have and on whether you plan to give it a formal shape. Get help choosing the right tool at extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=g6870.
For narrow-leaved shrubs, if you are in a region where it's warm in spring, prune them in April. In colder areas, trim in May or June.
For broad-leaved shrubs, cut them lightly to keep their shape and remove sick branches. Severe cuttings reduce flower and fruit production.
References
- Photo Credit cotoneaster image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
