By Kristina Howley, Proven Winners ColorChoice
Photographs courtesy of Proven Winners ColorChoice
Spring is busy, but thankfully not everything in the garden needs to be attended to. There are plenty of shrubs you can leave alone and only a few that truly, noticeably benefit from being trimmed. In this article, we’ll talk about plants that you should get around to pruning in the springtime. You’ll be rewarded with a beautiful view for months afterward.
You can treat this plant like you would treat a perennial. Just chop it all the way back to the ground and it’ll flush with nice healthy growth and a good habit.
Prune this plant back to about 1/3 to 1/2 of its total size, depending on the size of your plant. Small plants can be pruned harder, big plants should be pruned less. You want it to have a sturdy base to grow from, so it doesn’t flop over. If you have a Pugster® butterfly bush, watch this how-to video on how to prune it.
Proven Winners Clematis Clematis
All of our clematis bloom on new wood. If you’d like to control the height, you can cut each plant to the listed height.
Prune 1/3 off of this plant, leaving a sturdy base of 2/3 of its total size. Remove thin, spindly stems, especially on the inside of the plant. This will encourage good airflow. Watch this quick how-to video to learn just what to do.
Benefits from both a spring pruning and periodic rejuvenation pruning. In the spring, give it a rounded habit with shears. Every three to five years prune out 1/3 of the thickest branches to encourage juvenile growth. Watch this video for tips on how to prune.
All of our roses bloom on new wood. They should be methodically pruned in a way that takes out dead or damaged wood, encourages an open habit, and produces outward-facing growth. Watch this video to see exactly how to prune your mature rose.
Other Shrubs
More shrubs can be pruned in the springtime if you see that it’s necessary, but they don’t necessarily need it if they already have a handsome habit. Here’s a list of shrubs you can lightly prune or trim in the spring without damaging them.
If you think the flower show is over once summer fades…think again. Fall has its own cast of joyful and colorful characters ready to take center stage. Click here for an interesting, informative article.
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