Pruning the trees and shrubs in your yard is essential, and it’s easier than you think. But why should you prune your plants? Pruning helps to encourage healthy growth, improves flower and fruit production, minimizes safety risks, and keeps your trees and shrubs looking their best. 

Pruning can be intimidating, but it’s actually quite simple. Our trees and shrubs are more resilient than we might think and can handle more pruning that we generally believe they can. The 3 D’s of pruning—remove dead, damaged, and diseased limbs—are useful guidelines to follow. Different types of trees have different times of year that are best for pruning, but if your tree or shrub has completely dead branches, limbs damaged from a storm, or has contracted a disease, it’s better to get it cleaned up as soon as possible rather than wait for the ideal time to prune. 

We’ve put together a pruning guide with more detailed information about pruning for common trees and shrubs in the Quad Cities metro area. 

 

 

Pruning Trees

Most deciduous trees can benefit from a little pruning every year when they are young to establish a neat shape and sturdy limbs. Once they’re 5-6 years old, they shouldn’t need as much pruning anymore. Fruit trees will benefit from a little bit of pruning every year to help encourage vigorous new growth and healthy fruit. Evergreens need very little pruning; the only necessary pruning would be to remove dead sections from winter die-off. 

When pruning trees it’s important to make your cuts perpendicular to growth direction, and avoid cutting into the branch collar; the wider, slightly swollen base of the limb. If you cut an inch or two out from the base of the stem, just past the collar, the tree will have an easier time healing and a decreased risk of infection or pest infestation. 

Some trees are a little more particular with their pruning needs, so let’s take a look at a few different species and their pruning best practices.

 

 

Who: Maples
How much: Remove up to ¼ of foliage.
When to prune: Late spring, once leaves are fully open. Maples will drain a ton of sap if pruned earlier in the year. Prune for shape when young, and only prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased limbs when mature.
Where to cut: Remove crossed branches that rub together, branches that point toward the center of the tree, and suckers around the base of the trunk.
What tools to use: Depending on the size of your tree, you’ll need a hand pruner, a pruning saw, and a lopper (for branches up to 2.5″).

Who: Oak
How much: Remove all damaged and diseased wood.
When: January and February, no earlier or later.
Where to cut: Oak Wilt runs rampant in our area, so take the opportunity to fend it off by cleaning up all wood that appears diseased or at risk for disease. If you have broken branches, trim behind the break to leave a neat, flat cut.
What tools to use: A pruning saw and a lopper (for branches up to 2.5″). For large branches, contact a professional arborist to assist you.

 

 

Who: Birch
How much: Remove up to ¼ of foliage.
When: Mid-summer, once leaves are fully open. Birch will also drain too much sap if cut early in spring. Prune for shape when young, only prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased limbs when mature.
Where to cut: Remove crossed branches that rub together, branches that point towards the center of the tree, and suckers around the base of the trunk.
What tools to use: Depending on the size of your tree, you’ll need a hand pruner, a pruning saw, and a lopper (for branches up to 2.5″).

 

 

Who: Kentucky Coffeetree
How much: As little as possible.
When: Late winter or early spring, only when there are dead, damaged, or diseased limbs.
Where to cut: Remove branches that rub together or point inwards, remove long and weak branches to strengthen the overall tree.
What tools: Depending on the size of your tree, you’ll need a hand pruner, a pruning saw, and a lopper (for branches up to 2.5″).

Who: Fruit Trees
How much: Up to 20% of last year’s growth.
When: Winter. Sweet cherries are the one exception; they should be pruned in late summer.
Where to cut: Remove branches that rub together or are very close together, remove branches that point inwards, and remove suckers at the base of the trunk. Branches that receive more sun and good airflow produce better fruit. A good rule of thumb is that a robin should be able to fly easily through the tree.
What tools: A hand pruner, a pruning saw, and a lopper (for branches up to 2.5″).

 

 

Shrubs

Shrubs are even more forgiving than trees, and most can be cut back very short to encourage more growth. With some exceptions, when a shrub is looking old, unhappy, and unkempt, you can generally give it a fairly aggressive pruning, and by next year, you’ll be able to start shaping it again. Talk to a Meyer team member if it’s your first time pruning your shrubs; some, like Boxwood, do better with a lighter hand.

 

 

Who: Azalea
How much: As much as needed.
When: Immediately after flowering, before they set buds for next year.
Where to cut: Remove long errant limbs and shape as needed. If the azalea is very overgrown, you can cut the entire shrub back to 1′ tall and allow it to regrow.
What tools to use: A hand pruner or a long-handled pruner.

 

 

Who: Lilac
How much: As much as needed
When: Immediately after flowering, before they set buds for next year. In the Quad Cities metro area, that should be no later than the end of July.
Where: Lilacs produce the best blossoms on limbs less than five years old, so you can prune these fragrant shrubs aggressively. Remove branches rubbing together and suckers at the plant base. Remove thin, twiggy branches, and aim to keep branches that are at least as thick as a pencil.
What tools to use: A hand pruner, long-handled pruner, pruning shears for shaping.

 

 

Who: Rhododendron
How much: As much as needed.
When: Immediately after flowering, before they set buds for next year.
Where to cut: Remove old flowers and dead or damaged limbs. Prune for shape as needed. If your Rhododendron is overgrown, it can be cut back to 1″ tall and allowed to regrow.
What tools to use: A hand pruner, long-handled pruner, pruning shears for shaping.

Ready to try pruning your own trees and shrubs? We’ve got all the tools you’ll need at our garden center in Moline, Illinois, and our experienced staff can offer plenty of tips to help you feel more confident.