Although pruning preferences can be somewhat subjective, there are a few basic principles that should be kept in mind in order maximize the effectiveness of your work. Following these tips will help ensure that your bushes, trees and shrubs look their best!

At Canopy, we prune year-round, paying close attention to the season and current temperatures. During winter months like January and December, we prune as needed, identifying the ornamental tree and shrub varieties that benefit from heavier pruning during the cold season. Late winter is a great time to cut back over-grown plants (rejuvenation pruning) to allow new healthy growth to come out during the spring. It is also important during winter months to removal any dead twigs or natural debris from shrubbery. This helps new growth come in properly and prevents disease from spreading.

In March, when we start seeing the first signs of spring, we begin pruning again to encourage new growth and maintain anything that may have already sprouted. We continue pruning through March and April, slowing down in May, so everything has an opportunity to come to full bloom. We are careful not to prune off any buds for spring blooming plants to give these plants the opportunity to bloom and show off their flowers.

June and July is when you begin to see many shrubs overflowing with new growth, so that should be pruned accordingly in order to maintain any desired shape. During the hot weather, over-pruning can actually stunt the growth of many plants and ornamental shrubs, so one must keep in mind the health of the plant.

We begin to focus more attention on pruning as we move into the fall season, which goes a long way to help your landscape look its best as winter approaches and color can be sparse.

Pruning is a service that varies very much based on your own preference and taste. If you prefer your shrubbery to be groomed a certain way (i.e. heavily shaped vs. more natural), just be sure that you are also keeping in mind a pruning schedule that will help the plants grow and thrive.