🌿 Landscaping
Prune Shrubs and Small Trees
⏱️1–2 hrs💰$30–60🟢Beginner⭐4.6 (131 reviews)
Correct pruning shapes, encourages flowering, and prevents pest damage. Timing and tool choice matter more than technique.
Know when to prune
Spring-flowering shrubs (lilac, forsythia): prune right after they bloom. Summer bloomers and most others: late winter/early spring while dormant.
Remove the "3 D's" first
Dead, diseased, or damaged branches come out first. Cut back to healthy wood or the branch collar.
Thin crossing branches
Branches that rub against each other create wounds and disease entry points. Remove one.
Make clean cuts
Cut just above an outward-facing bud at a 45° angle. Use sharp, clean bypass pruners (not anvil pruners) for live wood.
Don't over-prune
Never remove more than 1/3 of a plant in one season. Spread major shaping over 2–3 years.
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