Pruning Tips from ScapeWorx Landscape Design & Maintenance

for Glen Mills, Garnet Valley, Media, West Chester, Delaware & Chester County

Regular pruning and maintenance has benefits for most plants, trees, and shrubs. Here in Glen Mills, Garnet Valley, Media, and West Chester pruning is typically done in the spring and in the fall. It is always good to remove dead, dying, and unwanted branches.

The picture on the left is the correct height in which you should prune a flowering shrub. You can click on the picture to enlarge it. Be careful not to cut it to short or to high. In this particular picture this is a rose bush, but the same principal pretty much applies to most shrubs.

If flowering shrubs are not pruned correctly, there is a strong possibility that the flowers will not bloom that season or the following depending on what type of shrub it is. For instance, hydrangeas are very temperamental whereas rose bushes are not.

Call ScapeWorx Today if You Need Help Pruning

You should always use sharp, clean tools, when working. It makes your job easier and it’s better for the plant. And be sure to follow all safety measures. These devices if used improperly, can be very dangerous.

The image on the right are the tools that you will need to get the job done if you are strictly pruning. Gas powered hedge trimmers are more commonly used to shape shrubs such as box-woods, small leaf hollies, spirals, etc.

Speaking of gas powered or electric hedge trimmers, there are quite a few people that will say do not use them, always use hand pruners. If you know what you are doing hedge trimmers are perfectly fine to use in conjunction with standard pruning practices.

Places like Longwood Gardens use trimmers to shape quite a few of their shrubs. If you have ever been there, you know what I am talking about. They have quite a display of artistically shaped bushes and believe me, you are not doing that with hand pruners.

The picture to the left was taken at Longwood Gardens.

Article by: Rob Coyle (ScapeWorx)