How to Prune Plants for Fullness
Although pruning trees is a specialized task, you can quickly learn to prune your shrubs, bushes, hedges and perennials for a fuller appearance. Keep a close watch on growth habits, and avoid letting plants get too leggy. Always remove dead or diseased wood, leaves, and stems to give the plant a much better chance to thrive. Use sharp pruning tools, and wear gloves for prickly and thorny plants. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Assess the overall shape of the plant you want to prune. Annuals and many perennials can be pinched to encourage thickening. Pluck off all dead blooms, too. Small bushes and shrubs can be pinched back in their early growing stages -- simply pinch off new growth between your fingers, or use pruning shears. Everywhere you do this, the plant will have twice the amount of new growth. Try for a uniform appearance around the entire bush to avoid holes or thin spots as new growth fills in.
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Deadhead old flowers -- especially those trying to go to seed. Rhododendrons, myrtles, azaleas and lilacs are among those that will have a larger bloom count the following year. Once the blooming season has completed, tend to deadheading soon after, then pinch back budding leaf sections to encourage fuller growth. If some branches extend too far or in a manner not uniform with the rest of the shrub, snip back the odd extensions.
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Shape hedges for a fuller appearance by cutting back new growth. For example, while boxwood grows slowly and doesn't require vigorous annual pruning, escallonia is known to grow fast, and pruning it regularly will keep it contained. Don't cut out all the new growth. Instead, keep a layer of new leaves shaped loosely or formally.
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Tips & Warnings
Check your zone and follow the climate patterns for annual pruning of major shrubs and trees. While many perennials and other plants can be pruned throughout the year, many trees must be pruned in late fall or early spring. Thoughtful care will be required for pruning fruit trees, large evergreens, and special ornamental or focus trees.
Always avoid pruning more than a third of any plant. Overpruning is a major cause of plant loss.
