Shrub Pruning in Summer – Breaking the Rules (2024)

FAQs

Should you prune shrubs in the summer? ›

Best Time for Shrub Pruning

Trim shrubs in the summer as soon as possible after flowering to favor as many of next year's flower buds as possible. The later into the summer pruning is done, the more gentle it should be to preserve as many flower buds as possible.

Follow the 1/3 rule

When making pruning decisions, keep in mind that you can safely remove up to one-third of the plant's growth at any one time. There may be times when you prune more, such as when you are rejuvenating an overgrown shrub, but generally speaking, the “one-third rule” is the best guideline to follow.

When pruning mature, overgrown shrubs, remove the thickest branches first. Cut them back to the base of the shrub to promote new growth. Hand pruners are useful for smaller branches. Some can cut branches up to an inch in diameter, but long-handled loppers give you leverage to cut branches 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

Similarly, avoid trimming summer flowering shrubs before they have flowered and wait to do so until after they have finished flowering. Non-flowering shrubs can be trimmed at any point in the summer to shape them or to reduce their size, but remember that regrowth will be slow during hot, dry, and stressful conditions.

Do not prune deciduous shrubs in late summer. Pruning shrubs in August or early September may encourage a late flush of growth. This new growth may not harden sufficiently before the arrival of cold weather and be susceptible to winter injury.

RULE 1: Prune your block with the weakest trees first and your strongest trees last. Trees that are pruned in early winter become more vigorous than trees that have been pruned just before or after flowering.

The plant may become extremely weak, allowing a variety of pathogens and insects to invade. So, although pruning may not kill your plant directly, over pruned trees and shrubs can die as a long-term result of the associated stress.

So choose a shape that complements your plant's natural growth pattern. For example, if your bushes already grow in a boxy manner, choose a rectangular shape rather than a round shape. On the other end, plants that have fewer leaves towards the base make great candidates for a round cut.

When to prune. Summer prune when the bottom third of the new shoots is stiff and woody. Generally, this will be from late-July for pears and mid- to late August for apples and about ten days later in the north.

This can be done at any time during the year. Cutting overgrown branches back to the form of the bush during the summer helps to keep it in shape. We suggest cutting branches at a 45' angle, this allows water to run off easily. Routine pruning takes place before new growth, usually done in late winter or early spring.

Is it okay to prune dead branches in summer? ›

As a general rule, prune spring-blooming trees immediately after they flower. Prune trees that bloom in the summer or fall in late winter or early spring before the end of their dormancy. Routine pruning of dead or dying branches can be done at any time.

In general, winter fruit tree pruning spurs vigorous growth while summer slows growth down. But why is that? This has to do with your tree's seasonal cycle of energy. Done at the right time of year, fruit tree pruning helps growers manage the energy of their fruit trees.