When is the best time to trim bushes and shrubs

Having healthy green bushes and shrubs add life and beauty to a yard. While overgrown, diseased, or dying plants make the landscape look ignored and ugly. Not only are properly grown bushes and shrubs not only make your yard more attractive, but they are also often healthier.

This is why knowing how to take care of your bushes and shrubs is important. This often an overlooked chore, but you can take your home landscape and yard to the next level with proper trimming and pruning.

This care is done by either trimming or pruning. These are the acts of removing leaves, branches, and dead matter from your plants that are unwanted and damaging. This helps maintain your plants’ well-being, train them to grow properly, improve quality, and even restrict their growth in some cases.

Since trimming and pruning shrubs isn’t very difficult, even beginners can do it. But, before doing it, you need to know a few things. These are the difference between pruning and trimming, when is it best to trim or prune your bushes, best time of year to trim and prune, among many others.

When to Prune Shrubs and bushes?

It would be best if you prune your shrubs and bushes one you notice the center of your plants begin to lose leaves and take a twiggy appearance. This happens because the inner part of the plant isn’t receiving enough sunlight.

When to trim Shrubs and bushes?

You need to trim them once you notice that the bush or shrub is beginning to block out the sunlight and crowd in on the space of other plants and flowers. It would help if you trimmed them to encourage growth for the plants they are blocking.

When can you cut back shrubs?

When trimming or pruning your bushes and shrubs, you need to consider how big you want these plants to grow. If your shrub is starting to show some twigs poke out of the shape you want it to be, you should start cutting back. Do it slowly and cut back until you get the twigs around an inch inside the shape you desire.

When can you cut back bushes?

Although most people like their bushes to grow freely to provide a more “hedge-like” look, it is still best to do some maintenance care for these plants. You should consider cutting back your bushes downwards if you start noticing them growing taller than necessary and if they’re poking too far out of their intended shape.

When Is the Best Time of Year to Prune Bushes and Shrubs?

For some reason, many people believe it’s best to prune and trim bushes and shrubs around fall. They think that the best time to prune and trim is when the leaves begin falling, and some large limbs look lifeless. But, doing pruning and trimming on your bushes and shrubs could damage or kill even mature plants at this time of year.

You should know that it is best to prune and trim your bushes and shrubs in early spring and mid-winter. These plants are just leaving or are in their dormancy period can make the plants bloom to their utmost potential for the year. Pruning and trimming at this time is best as the plant’s growth spurt is yet to start while not being too far away.

Why is fall not the best time to prune and trim?

Fall is not the best time to trim bushes or prune shrubs because the trees are preparing for dormancy. Cutting back your bushes and shrubs at this time will take all the good stuff out of its leaves to store. If there is absolutely no reason to prune and trim your plants in the fall, don’t. Save your time for pruning and trimming for the early spring or end of the dormant winter months.

When to prune or trim different plant types?

In general, it is best to prune or trim plants in the early spring and deep in the winters, but certain plants require different care. For some plants, the best time to prune and time depends on their type.

• Early-spring-flowering shrubs- It is best to trim and cutback these right after they bloom
• Summer-flowering shrubs- You should prune these shrubs in the winter or early spring.
• Non-flowering plants- The good time to trim these bushes and shrubs is once overgrowth has completely formed.
• Larger plants- It is best to care for them in early spring and winters but should also be trimmed when their overgrowth is becoming a hindrance.

Frequently Asked Questions:

If you want to make your landscapes and lawns look healthy and beaming with life, taking care of them is essential. Here are a few frequently asked questions that you may also be asking about this topic.

Q: Do plants grow perfectly without pruning or trimming?

A: No. This may be the most common misconception about plant care. It is vital to keep your trees, bushes, and shrubs in their best shape, and this is only possible with pruning and trimming. This involves removing dead and damaged branches, water sprouts, and more that can make your trees unhealthy. Hence, pruning and trimming make your plants grow better.

Q: Can pruning or trimming at the wrong time kill the plant?

A: Yes, but not necessarily. It would have adverse effects on the plants, but it won’t result in the plants’ guaranteed death.  Rather than risk pruning at the wrong season, it is advisable to research about the plant and when is the best time of the year to prune or trim it or contact a professional to get it done.

Q: Can trimming kill a bush or shrub?

A: No, but over-pruning can. Doing so reduces the foliage available for making food for the rest of the plant and can allow pests and diseases access to the tree. If cuts are made incorrectly or too much trimming is done, it can kill the plant due to long term stress.

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