Dennis Patton Johnson County Extension Horticulture Agent, Ornamentals

1. WHEN AND HOW TO PRUNE SHRUBS Dennis Patton Johnson County Extension Horticulture Agent, Ornamentals

2. Goals for Class • Teach basic pruning principles • Reduce fear of pruning • Increased enjoyment • End ugly landscapes

3. This is not pruning!

4. IS PRUNING NECESSARY?

7. If a shrub is placed correctly with regards to its mature size and shape, the need for pruning will be minimal.

8. What is pruning?

9. Pruning is the removal of part of a plant for the benefit of all the plant.

10. Terminal buds

14. PRUNE WITH A PURPOSE • To maintain plant health • To train the plant • To obtain a balance between growth and flowering • To improve the quality of flowers, fruit, foliage or stems • To correct or improve shape

15. When do you prune?

16. WHEN TO PRUNE • Damaged or diseased wood should be removed as soon as possible. • Controlling a fast growing sprout can be done any time during the growing season. • The flowering time of the shrub will determine the optimum time to prune.

17. SPRING FLOWERING SHRUBS Bloom on previous year’s growth • Honeysuckle • Kerria • Lilac • Magnolia • Mockorange • Ninebark • Privet • Rhododendrons • Spirea, Bridalwreath • Spirea, Snowmound • Viburnum • Weigela • Winterberry • Witchhazel • Azaleas • Amelanchior • Barberries • Bayberry • Beautybush • Chokeberry • Cotoneaster • Deutzia • Elderberry • Quince • Flowering Almond • Forsythia • Fothergilla • Filbert • Holly

18. SUMMER FLOWERING SHRUBS Bloom on current year’s growth • Beautyberry • Bottlebrush Buckeye • Butterfly Bush • Coralberry • Caryopteris • Hibiscus • Oregon Grape Holly • Potentilla • Spirea • St. Johnswort • Stephandra • Sumac • Willow

19. Do not prune any shrub during late summer!

20. HOW TO PRUNE • Remove all dead, broken, diseased or crossing branches. • Branches should be removed at their point of origin – a lateral branch, the main trunk • or at ground level. • These pruning cuts • should be flush. • Do not leave stubs!

21. HOW TO PRUNE • When removing small twigs or stems • make pruning cuts approximately • ¼ inch above and angled away from • a live bud. Too close Too flat Correct Too far away

22. Shrubs with buds growing opposite one another should be cut squarely across the stem. • Shrubs with alternate growing buds should be cut above a bud growing outward.

23. METHODS OF PRUNING 1. Thinning or renewal pruning • Opens the center of the • shrub to sunlight • Encourages new branch • growth and increased • leaf production • Best applied to plants that • are too dense • Least conspicuous of all pruning

25. Remove about ¼ to 1/3 of the older branches each year to the ground. Thin out crossing and inward growing limbs.

26. Thinning of single stem shrub

27. 2. Heading Back Multi-stemmed shrub Prune back to a lower bud or branch.

28. Shearing is not pruning!

29. Heading back single stemmed shrub

30. 3. Rejuvenation pruning Multi-stemmed shrub

32. First year Third year Second year Fourth year

33. Single stem shrub

34. PRUNING EVERGREENS

35. CONIFERS

36. JUNIPERS AND ARBORVITAE Dead zone

37. YEWS

39. PRUNING BROADLEAF EVERGREENS

42. PRUNING HYDRANGEAS

44. Pruning Easy Care Roses • Rejuvenate each spring

45. PRUNING TOOLS

46. “Peter went in last Sunday to prune… but I haven’t seen him since.”