How to Prune Flowering Shrubs

Many flowering shrubs can grow to be quite tall, anywhere from four feet to ten feet in height. A shrub that is not well maintained and pruned at least once or twice a year can become cumbersome and detract from the overall beauty of a home's exterior. Be sure to prune your flowering shrub regularly to keep it healthy and its blooms colorful and vibrant.

Items needed:

• Hedge shears


• Long handled loppers


• Small pruning saw


• Hand pruners


• Gardening gloves


• Eye protection

Instructions:

1. Put on your gloves and goggles for protection. Certain parts of the shrub can be sharp or can scratch your skin if you are not careful. The goggles will protect your eyes from allergens and flying debris while pruning.


2. Identify the branches that provide your plant with its greatest level of height and width. These are usually found at the base where you can follow one single large branch all the way to the top of the plant, sometimes veering left or right.


3. Remove these overly tall or wide branches at the point where their flowers begin to fade. Also remove the branches that are clearly dead or almost dead.


4. Remove 1/3 of the largest, oldest stems annually in order to keep your shrubs healthy and blooming. This will also keep your flowering shrubs from becoming overgrown and too large.


5. Check to make sure that there are 2 or 3 inches of space between the stems that remain. If they are rubbing together in closer proximity, snip a few to facilitate more space. Again, look for stems or branches that are dead or whose flowers are faded.


6. Use the hand pruners to lightly trim the shrub to your overall desired shape and size. This should be made easier by pruning the majority of the dead weight in the previous steps.