[zinger565]

When do you know it's safe to trim shrubs without causing damage? We've got some very established shrubs along our fenceline that I let get out of hand last year. I'd like to start trimming now, but it appears they've started to bud. Can I trim anyways or am I inviting some serious damage to my shrubs?

 

[chrismar]

What kind of shrubs and what kind of trimming method?

I'd recommend looking up a series of videos by Plant Amnesty on YouTube. Cass (RIP) does a great job of explaining the proper way to prune and trim a wide variety of trees and plants.

As far as timing, I generally trim/prune in late winter or early spring. The idea is to not introduce a lot of stress to the plant while it is already stressed (ie- don't do it in the hot summer months when there's already heat and potentially disease stress present).

 

[stotea]

As far as timing, I generally trim/prune in late winter or early spring. The idea is to not introduce a lot of stress to the plant while it is already stressed (ie- don't do it in the hot summer months when there's already heat and potentially disease stress present).

Agreed. The logic is similar to deciding the best time to do stressful turf maintenance such as dethatching and aerating. You want to do it when the turf is actively growing and under minimal environmental stress.

 

[zinger565]

I have no clue what the variety of the shrubs are, as they were planted and well established when we bought the house 2 years ago. I'll do some digging after leaves start to form.

Sounds like now is the best time to get after them, and ease up during the summer, resuming trimming as the cooler weather comes in the fall. I'll definitely check out the videos @chrismar

 

[440mag]

Rule(s) of thumb I've always gone by (with success I might add) is / are:

Non-flowering: prune right around mid-February

Flowering: prune immediately after spring flowering process is completed (petals and buds dropped)

 

[Ecks from Tex]

Rule(s) of thumb I've always gone by (with success I might add) is / are:

Non-flowering: prune right around mid-February

Flowering: prune immediately after spring flowering process is completed (petals and buds dropped)

This. You won't find many exceptions to this rule; shrub roses being the notable exception as they are pruned before flowering.

 

[zinger565]

What if I don't care about flowering, haha. I suppose I should really figure out exactly what I have. I know last year they bloomed with tons of small "flowers" but not in the traditional sense of visible petals.

 

[Colonel K0rn]

Pictures of the shrubs can help us identify what you've got.

 

[zinger565]

Pictures of the shrubs can help us identify what you've got.

They haven't produced foliage yet, but here's a close up and an overall picture:

 

[Jconnelly6b]

Not sure what they are based on images, hard to tell.

Another thing to add, just like turf, never prune more than 1/3 of the plant in a season. You can prune a 1/3 this spring, and then maybe do some more in the late fall, but don't go too crazy with it if you want to keep the shrubs.