Contrary to the belief that the time to prune your plants is when you have a free weekend or have just bought a new trimmer, it is essential for a plant’s survival to prune prudently and at the proper time. This protects the health and beauty of your woody shrubs and small trees. Each year, improper pruning causes the death of more trees than insects!
Proper pruning begins with the right motive to trim. Besides the reason that the plant may damage your property, the primary purpose of pruning is to remove parts that are not conducive to the plant’s progress. There are general practices which apply to most woody plants as well as specific pruning times for different plants depending on when they are blooming and when they are dormant.
It is correct to remove dead or dying branches that are diseased or infested by insects from most plants immediately. Also, you can trim water sprouts or suckers whenever needed. Water sprouts are shoots that grow vertically up off a branch, and suckers are shoots that grow up around the base of the plant. Water sprouts and suckers will divert energy away from the rest of the plant or ruin its shape, so it is best to remove them if they are present.
Prune any dead stems or branches that did not survive the winter after the last expected frost date (March 15 in Hays County) and before new growth begins. Prune them down to one-third of your bush or shrub’s height. Even if what re- mains contains dead parts on the branches, resist the urge to trim it to the ground. The woody stems are still alive!
Trimming more than a third affects the plants recovery, however, if a frost occurs after a plant has buds, go ahead and prune them as they will not bloom.
The many shrubs and trees which flourish in our area bloom, grow, and are dormant at various times. They will benefit from some specifically timed pruning.
Thinning deciduous or broadleaf evergreen bushes or shrubs encourages new growth in the interior of the plant and provides a smaller and fuller shape. This is the preferred alternative to topping off a plant. During the dormant season remove any branches that cross or rub each other, and thin out the plant by removing the oldest and heaviest branches coming up from the ground.
Make sure to remove just a few of these branches, certainly no more than a third. Boxwood, Cherry Laurel, Evergreen Sumac, Holly, Juniper, Wax Myrtle, Yaupon, and Yew are examples of shrubs and trees benefiting from this type of management.
Renewal pruning will promote new bloom growth for spring blooming plants such as Anacacho Orchid, Mexican Buckeye, Redbud and Texas Mountain Laurel. Once their flowers have faded, trim them back to allow new bud growth to sprout on the branches next year.
To encourage healthy growth in shrubs and bushes that bloom in summer or fall, prune after next year’s frost date has passed. Plants in this category include Crape Myrtle, Rose-of-Sharon (Althea), Desert Willow, Butterfly Bush, Mexican Oregano, Possumhaw Holly, roses, Vitex, American Beautyberry, and Texas Sage.
In conclusion, improper pruning kills, weakens, or deforms plants. Pruning in late fall or early winter can affect blooms or promote new growth that will not survive freezing temperatures. Pruning too early in the year (January or February) can expose a plant to frost damage, cause fewer blooms, and expose plants to pests and diseases.
One exception to this timing is the Live Oak, which should not be pruned at all between Feb. 1 and June 30.
Hopefully, these schedules coincide with the gardener’s free time!
For more information on pruning check out the following web page: aggie-horticulture. tamu.edu/ extension/ pruning/pruning.html
