How to Prune

Pinching

This is the most basic pruning technique and can be done throughout the year. Using a thumb and forefinger or clippers, you simply remove the stem tip of the newest growth. This stops the stem from growing longer and promotes side shoots which, in turn, promotes a compact and bushy plant.

Cutting Back

Pruning to shorten branches is done for four reasons. To make an oversize plant fit into a limited space, to encourage growth, to promote flowers and fruit, or to remove branches affected by frost.

When cutting back always cut the stem back to a live growth point - either a node which might product a stem, or a leaf. And, more importantly, never cut back without thinning (see below) or you will end up with a rounded shrub that is a tangled mass of foliage and wood.

Thinning

To thin a shrub, remove whole stems at their base or point of origin. This reduces the bulk of a plant withoug changing its shape or form.

The goal of thinning is to remove old, unproductive stems and to eliminate competing stems. This will allow light and air into the centre of the shrub thereby encouraging healthy growth. Thinning and cutting back must always be done together.

Shearing

As with sheep, one shears a plant by clipping its outer foliage to create an even surface. The most obvious application is on a hedge which should be sheared lightly every two months during the summer.