“When it comes to pruning your trees or shrubs, sometimes it is best to leave the job to a professional,” according to Kevin Johnson – President of All American Turf Beauty, Inc.

Pruning can be best described as the removal of plant parts; usually the shoots and branches of the plant being pruned. Through this process of removal, you can control the growth of plants to heighten the performance or appearance in the landscape.

There are many reasons why trees/shrubs need to be pruned. Some of the most obvious reasons are as follows:

1. Control plant size
2. Influence flowering habits
3. Increase plant vigor a.k.a. invigoration of stagnating plants
4. Increase the aesthetic value of your landscape
5. Remove of dead/dying material

Lawn Care Professionals often need to be employed to effectively and properly complete the pruning process. While homeowners are able to handle some of the pruning duties with little training, utilizing a lawn care professional sometimes is a good choice. Professionals already have the specialized tools and have acquired the knowledge and experience of how to do the job properly.

“A professional knows to prune effectively for the desired results,” according to Johnson. Professionals keep several key components in mind before engaging in the actual pruning process. Pruning should always be done while keeping future plant appearance and structural integrity in mind. Through experience, the individual doing the pruning can help train the plant through selective pruning cuts. Proper pruning cuts enhance the plants beauty and function in the overall landscape. Several things that a professional keeps in mind before beginning pruning are:

• Performing the actual pruning cuts in a manner that minimizes the wound to the tree and prevents infection.
• Looking at the overall structural strength of the plant. Some plants have inherently poor structure and may need to be considered for removal instead of pruning.
• Desired height of the lowest permanent branch. This is usually determined by the function of the tree in the landscape.
• Proper time of the year to perform the pruning. This depends on the individual species to be pruned. If you wish to maximize flowering, the time to prune will depend upon the flowering habit of the plant.
  • Those that flower in the summer or fall based upon the current season’s growth, should be pruned during winter – before growth begins.
  • Plants that flower in the spring from buds – on one-year wood- should be pruned near the end of their blooming period as a general rule.

Pruning is an important process that keeps the plants in your landscape healthy and functional. Increasing plant performance and/or plant vigor and maintaining a balanced aesthetic appearance is often the primary goal of pruning for most homeowners.

According to Johnson, some homeowners try to handle their pruning decisions on their own. But he is quick to point out that a growing number of homeowners are beginning to see the benefits of hiring a trained professional – someone who has the knowledge and specialized tools – to assist them in making the best decisions concerning pruning for their landscapes.

“Homeowners recognize the value that landscape trees and plants bring to their property. It just makes sense for a homeowner to invest in the proper pruning to protect their landscape and prevent them from becoming overgrown,” says Johnson.

If you’re too busy and have no time for pruning trees and shrubs in your lawn, don’t hesitate to call our lawn care professionals at 1-800-365-8873 or contact us here to schedule an appointment.