Shrubs are often neglected when it comes to winter
maintenance because they seem heartier and pose less of a threat than trees.
But the truth is that shrubs deserve just as much attention as trees when it
comes to trimming. To keep your plants healthy and lush through Scottdale’s winter
months, consider trimming overgrowth to make way for new growth in spring. But
before you pick up your shears, you should know a thing or two about how to
prune the specific types of shrubs in your yard.
First, determine how your shrubs grow. There are three types
of growth patterns for shrubs:
- Cane – shrubs like forsythia and nandina have
erect shoots, like canes, that form from the base. - Tree-like – shrubs with woodier, divided
branches like rhododendrons. - Mounding – occurs in shrubs like azaleas and
spirea. They have soft, flexible branches and small leaves.
Knowing how plants grow determines the type of cut necessary
to promote regrowth. There are two main techniques for
pruning and removing shrub overgrowth.
tree trimming in Scottdale, Arizona
Heading Cut
Heading cuts are made on an angle near the sight of a bud, but usually leave a couple of inches of the stem behind. Heading cuts encourage new growth closest to the bud and may also determine a specific direction of
new foliage. Selective heading cuts are used to limit the height of shrubs and
give them a more natural appearance. Non-selective, or random, cuts will reduce
the height of shrubs, but end up making them bushy and too full.
Thinning Cut
Thinning cuts are made close to the sight of a bud, snipping
the entire branch. Just like their name suggests, thinning cuts reduce the
amount of regrowth each year to thin a shrub’s density. It’s a great way to
avoid overgrown, bushy shrubs or correct improper heading cuts. However,
thinning cuts must be made correctly as well to encourage the current buds to
continue to grow. Cutting too close to the joint may dry out the bud. As well,
too shallow of an angle can rot the branch and kill the remaining buds.
Three Types of Growth Patterns
These cuts should be made in correlation with the type of
shrub present on your landscape. If you have cane growth shrubs, remove the
tallest canes first by sawing them close to ground level. The remaining canes
can them be thinned from the center to allow ample room for each cane to grow
back.
Tree-like shrubs require thinning cuts to remove any
branches that are rubbing together. By clearing out the center of the shrub,
thinning cuts increase the amount of light penetration to encourage regrowth in
the spring. The woody branches are hearty enough to stand alone, making the
shrub look near death in the winter. It’s also important to trim low-lying
branches to avoid any roots from taking hold of them and spreading the plant
outward. Heading cuts should be reserved until the last steps of pruning to
regulate the height of the shrub without making it too thin.
For mounding plants use thinning cuts to trim only the
longest branches, leaving the center to grow naturally. The shrub’s density
will decrease drastically for the winter, but will retain its proper shape by
spring without looking bushy.
It’s most important to remove any dead, diseased
or decaying branches to protect the remaining branches. If undetected during
pruning the entire shrub can die before spring. Use thinning cuts into healthy
wood to be sure to get every trace of decay. It’s not necessary to cover the
exposed wound if the cut is made clean and proper. The shrub will have plenty
of time to heal before new growth begins.
