Pruning your trees and shrubs is a very important part of any maintenance program for your landscape. By pruning on a regular basis you can avoid excessive pruning on plants which have become overgrown.

Why prune:

Five of the most important reasons to prune are as follows. Pruning increases light and air circulation within the canopy. Pruning also can be used to increase the amount of fruit or flowers on a plant. Removing unsightly suckers or water-sprouts is another reason to prune. Returning a plant to its natural growth habit is needed in some cases, certain plants need to be pruned when overgrown. One example of this is the lilac. Pruning can also be used to maintain the size and shape of a plant within the landscape.

When should I prune:

Some plants can only be pruned at specific times of the year. Most plants can be placed into categories based on some of their characteristics. Plants that flower in the spring should be pruned after flowering and before setting buds for the next season. Because they flower early in the spring, buds will develop on the previous year