Q&A for How to Trim Shrubs

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What is the best time of the year to trim bushes?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

You can trim bushes any time of the year as long as you don't do it during late fall. If it is a major trimming, it's best to do it during the time the plant is dormant, like in the winter.

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Question

How do you prune a shrub?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

You use shears to trim about 1/3 of the outlying branches as well as those closest to the ground.

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Can you cut back a holly bush?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

During the winter months, you can cut it back to the ground level to allow the bush to regrow. Otherwise, you can trim branches back to the new leaves or back to the main branch.

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Question

How do you trim a hedge?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

You can cut it straight by using stakes and strings as guides, or use the siding of your home. Keep the movement of the hedge trimmer slow to allow it to cut evenly.

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Question

How do you trim shrubs so that they are round?

Mike Garcia
Licensed Landscape Contractor
Mike Garcia is a Licensed Landscape Contractor and the Founder of Enviroscape LA, a full-service landscape design and construction firm in Los Angeles, California. With over 30 years of experience, Mike specializes in sustainable landscape practices. Mike holds an Ornamental Horticulture degree, C-27 Landscape Contractor and D-49 Tree Service Contractor licenses, and Permaculture Design, California Naturalist, International Certified Professional Pond Contractor, and Pond Building certifications. He is one of eight Internationally Certified Pond Builders in the world. Enviroscape LA has won landscape and water feature awards from the International Professional Pond Contractors Association (IPPCA), National Association of Pond Professionals (NAPP), and the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA). Mike is a past president of the CLCA and currently serves on their local Board of Directors. Enviroscape LA has been featured in PONDS USA Magazine, Pond and Garden Lifestyles Magazine, and the Los Angeles Times. Mike has appeared on Extreme Home Makeover, HGTV's Landscapers Challenge, and A & E's series Fix That Yard.

Mike Garcia

Licensed Landscape Contractor

Expert Answer

If you want a bush that's going to end up being round, try hard pruning. This method involves holding the branches straight up like you would hold up your hair when cutting it, and cutting each branch.

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Question

We just moved and our new house has shrubs. They are very overgrown. Can I cut them down enough so the stone work can be seen? It is mid summer now. If I cut that much off will that kill the shrub?

Andy Winder

Community Answer

It depends on what kind of shrub you have and how much you want to cut. If your plant is a non-flowering shrub, you can trim it without any problems during the summer. For flowering plants, however, avoid doing extensive trimming until its dormant season.

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Question

How high can shrubs get?

Andy Winder

Community Answer

It depends on the shrub species. Some shrub varieties are known to grow 10 ft (3 m) or higher

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Question

I have old shrubs in my RV park. If I trim them way back and remove all dead stuff at base will they die?

Andy Winder

Community Answer

It depends on how much you need to remove. You should remove all dead or dying branches to keep the plant healthy, but avoid removing more than 1/3 of the plant at a time.

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Question

Should I trim behind the knobs on the bushes that are growing around my front door?

Andy Winder

Community Answer

Yes. Your shrub should stay about 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) away from your home to prevent water damage.

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Question

If I trim my shrubs will they require more water?

Community Answer

No, trimming shrubs does not change their water requirements.

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Question

Some of our shrubs are overgrown, and I'd like to trim them now in the spring. Is that advisable rather than wait until the fall?

Community Answer

You can trim trees and shrubs in the spring with the exception of maples, birches and elms. Maples and birches have watery sap that runs in the spring, and if they are cut, will leak for quite a while. Elms can only be pruned in winter to help prevent transmission of Dutch elm disease.

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Question

Is fall trimming okay to do?

Community Answer

Yes. Be mindful, however, of how many winter buds are left on the branches since this is where next years growth will come from.

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Question

What is the main purpose of shrub trimming?

Andy Winder

Community Answer

There are two main purposes to shrub trimming. Trimming keeps the plant healthy and also avoids overgrown shrubs from crowding your yard or garden.

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Question

Am I supposed to trim off the new growth at the top of the shrub?

Community Answer

No. If it's your shrub, you can prune it how you see fit. If it is pruned as a hedge, it will need to be pruned back at least once a season to maintain its shape. This is also true for a topiary.

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Question

How do I trim a ninebark shrub?

Andy Winder

Community Answer

Because a ninebark shrub is a flowering shrub, it's best to trim it in winter. Cut back any dead or damaged branches, shape its sides, and flatten the top to keep the plant healthy.

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