So, tell us would you give the same priority that you give to the flower and fruit trees to the bushes? We think you are, and that is why you searched when to trim bushes on Google, right? Anyway, the answer depends on several factors, and in this article, we will cover some of the important information you should know about trimming the bushes in your garden. Let’s get started without further ado.
When to Trim Bushes
First of all, we want to highlight the fact that trimming is not as difficult a task as most of you would think. However, there are certain basics and must-knows. Also, it heavily depends on the plant you are dealing with. So, we have considered several types of shrubs and trees for this article in order to provide you with a comprehensive guide on when to trim bushes.
Evergreen Bushes.
The best time to prune or trim evergreen bushes ideally would be in early April, that is, before the new growth of the plants. If you feel your evergreen plants demand further trimming, you can select mid-summer as well. However, you must make sure not to prune evergreen bushes during the fall, as plants have a tendency to become vulnerable to winter season injuries.
Deciduous Bushes.
Trimming time for the deciduous bushes is somewhat complicated compared to evergreen bushes. It depends on various things such as bloom time, type of the plant, weather conditions, and growth habits. Since we want to keep everything simple and straightforward, we recommend you to trim the relatively large and fairly overgrown bushes in the late winter season.
That said, for those who maintain spring-flowering bushes, there is nothing wrong with pruning right after the flowering process. Moreover, keep in mind that if you are maintaining your deciduous bushes in a proper manner, there is no need for heavy pruning.
If you are working with summer-flowering bushes or non-flowering deciduous bushes, the best time to prune will be late winter or early spring.
In addition, for those who think about when to trim fruit trees, our recommendation would be from early March to early April.
Also Read: When to Plant Fruit Trees [Everything Explained in Detail].
When to Trim Bushes – Tips
As we said, trimming bushes is a process that depends on various factors, and it can be kind of confusing to newbies. However, sticking to the following tips will definitely going to ease your hassle.
Choose the winter.
This applies mostly to the people who live in extreme winter conditions. It would be ideal for trimming when your trees lose their leaves during the winter. Another plus point of trimming in winter is that you can clearly see all the branches of the trees and decide the parts you want to get rid of.
Although that is the method most people go with, there is no limitation of removing the dead or broken branches any time you like. Simply put, you don’t have to wait until winter to remove parts of the trees that are an obstacle to the growth. That said, a proper trimming should be done in winter when the shrubs become dormant.
Moreover, trimming a bush can be quite tough work when there are leaves on the trees as you hardly see and have control over what you are doing. Further, it can promote certain spreading diseases and unwanted growth as well.
If the bushes bloom in spring, don’t trim in winter.
Yeah, it deviates from the previous tip if the trees are scheduled to bloom in spring. If you happen to trim a spring-flowering bush during the winter season, obviously, you can’t expect it to provide the show you anticipate in the winter. More often than not, you will be cutting the buds in winter, which is not the ideal situation you put your beautiful bush.
In that sense, the ideal time to prune such trees would be shortly after it completes the annual flowering. However, trimming spring-flowering plants in winter won’t put them in danger, but you cannot expect them to flower in spring much efficiently.
Use power hedge trimmers wisely.
This is an important thing to consider. Most articles do reveal when to trim bushes, but they hardly talk about the tools. If you are using shears or power trimmers, make sure you wait for the new growth of the plants; usually, this happens in the spring. What this would do is, it will allow sufficient time for the trees to recover from shearing.
The shearing process is kind of stressful for the trees, and you have to grant them adequate time to recover and provide the results you want. Ideally, you should aim for at least six months as a recovery time for the plants.
FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions.
Can trimming kill a bush?
Trimming or pruning won’t kill your bush as far as you are not overdoing it. If you happen to over-trim the bushes, the trees will find it difficult to keep the food in them to survive. In addition, it will invite the pests to the trees as well.
What month is late winter?
When it comes to trimming the bushes, you have to consider 4 weeks before the spring as late winter. However, it purely depends on the climate you are living in, and it could be anywhere from January to May.
What are the months of winter?
According to meteorologists, winter is the time period of the year with the lowest temperature levels. This suggests, the answer can vary depending on the area you live in.
What is the best time to trim hedges?
Late winter is the ideal time to trim hedges, when the trees are dormant. If you are planning a considerable trim, you should ensure to do the job before breaking buds.
Conclusion
The summary of the article, which was all about when to trim bushes, is that you have to consider the type of tree and time before you think about anything. We hope the points we elaborated on are understandable and clear for you. If not, please comment on your questions; we will attend to them ASAP. Thank you.
