Trimming a Shrub or Hedge

with Amanda Switzer

Transcript: Trimming a Shrub or Hedge

I'm Amanda Switzer for About.com Home.

Introduction to Hedge or Shrub Trimming

Today we're talking about foundation plantings. These are the shrubs that are painted at the base of homes to conceal the concrete layer found on most homes, provide shade and privacy, or accentuate architectural details found in many houses.

Foundation plantings are sometimes chosen for aesthetic reasons, or to attract wildlife and birds, but in most cases they're chosen for durability. Some examples of these plants are hydrangeas, rhododendrons viburnums, shrub-roses and spirea.

Why is Hedge or Shrub Trimming Important?

When you first plant your foundation plantings you may think they'll never grow to maturity, but then one day they take over your house. Exterior shingles, paint and stain get worn away from the rubbing of the branches and your house looses its general esthetic appeal. Not only does pruning control the size of your plant, it maintains a healthy plant. By pruning your plant, you encourage growth from the base, and this creates a well balanced plant.

The amount of pruning you do depends on plant material you have in your water. And in order to learn more about this you can consult your local nursery, look online, or buy informative landscape books, such as Michael Dirr's, Landscape Woody Manual, which is the Bible in the landscape trade.

When Should You Do Your Hedge or Shrub Trimming?

Next step is to decide what time of year to prune your plants. In areas that have defined growing seasons, winter is the best time. The leaves have fallen off the shrub, revealing the structure of the shrub, making it much easier to prune. There are plants whose flower buds sometimes develop on the previous season's growth, and you might have to sacrifice flower blooms in order to maintain your shrub border, but sometimes the flower blooms on current season's growth, and you want to prune it prior to flowering.

So when you finally have an idea of what shrubs are in your border and when the optimal time to prune is, you're ready to go.

What You need for Hedge or Shrub Trimming

What you'll need is:

1. A pair of sharpened
2. Pruners
3. A pair of loppers (for those really stubborn branches)
4. A tarp

or

1. a garbage pail (depending on what kind of debris you have)

Hedge or Shrub Trimming

In this example I have a Red Twin Dogwood that was out of control. I cut it back with a very heavy hand because it's such a rigorous grower, and it can withstand that kind of pruning.

When making cuts, you want to make the cut above the bud and at an angle. This way moisture won't build-up and you won't have disease and mildew problems. When cutting back evergreen shrubs it's important to cut back one branch at a time. This way you won't expose barren branches and leave gaping holes in your plants.

So when you feel that your house is being swallowed-up by your foundation plantings, don't be shy. Do a little research, sharpen your pruners, get out there and prune.

Thanks for watching. To learn more visit us on the Web at Homegarden.About.com.

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