Are there any experts in shrub and tree pruning here?

Hi,

I have some overgrown shrub borders in the front of my house and need to do some pruning. Since it is already March I guess I might need to do that soon. I could post some photos of my border and shrubs if someone could help me decide what to do with them. I just wanted to make sure I was in the right forum before posting the photos.

Thanks,
prairie

Go ahead, post them pics, you're on the right forum!

Resin

It will depend upon the species and the effects you seek. Your first priority probably should be to identify them for us.

In general, get rid of stagnant growth, dead/diseased branches or stems, rampant suckers, and those that do not fit your desired habit for the plant. Do it by cutting them to the ground (or nearly so), not by heading them back with a hedging cut. If you're not concerned about flower display this year, do it any time during the dormant season (or as the plants just begin to show bud swell, so you can pick out the dead ones more easily). If flowers are important, don't whack species that bloom early (i.e., on last year's wood) until they're done blooming.

Guy S.

I agree with Starhillforest, start with D, D & D (Dead, diseased & damaged) and completely remove first. If you want to use stretchy fluorescent marker tape on the branches you want to trim so that you can stand back and imagine them trimmed, that helps.

The book, Pruning, by Christopher Brickell is a great book with line-drawings that outline how to prune various shrubs with easy-to-follow steps and genus specific techniques.

Hi Resin..

This first photo is of a boxwood suffruticosa which had a container in front of it and has a bare spot. I tried pruning it back just in the front last year, but it didn't grow much. As a matter of fact this particular boxwood has barely grown at all in 7 years since it has been planted. I wonder if I should cut the whole thing back to where it is bare. Quite a lot to cut off the top if so, and it would be cutting back to bare branches. There is one on each side of the stairs so I would have to do them both to keep them even. I also am not sure now is the time to do that or if I should wait?

This photo is of the undamaged boxwood on the other side.

This next photo is of another boxwood which I don't know the name of. In comparison it has grown much more quickly. I would like to shape it into a rounded shape and thinking about half the size. Again, is it the right time to prune this boxwood too? Open to suggestions. I would really like to get a fresh flush of new growth on these this year. I wonder if I should be fertilizing as well. I am organic and could mulch with composted cow manure, or spray with fish emulsion. Any other suggestions? I thought I read that boxwood want alkaline soil, and mine is 6.4, should I be adding lime around the base?

Thanks
:-)

Ooops! I forgot. There is a Blue Stallion Holly behind that last boxwood in the front of the border which also needs trimming. I have been trying to prune it naturally but I don't think I am doing a good job of it. This shrub border faces East.

What's that white stuff on the ground?

looks like snow to me. its been awhile though.

Box can be trimmed very hard and still re-grow, so you can cut back as much as you like; as for shaping, avoid any shape that leaves parts in shadow, that's what creates the bare patches where there isn't enough light for it to keep its foliage. So go for cone shapes, rather than globes, which will get bare under the widest point.

Excellent on being organic, but please don't use fish emulsion, it isn't good for fish and causes serious ecological damage to them

Resin

Definitely still have snow on the ground. :-)

So Resin, now is the time to cut them back and a globe is not a good idea, ok. I am curious though. I see tons of photos in magazines and on the gardening shows on TV where they have these gorgeous round boxwood. How do they do it? When you say a cone shape, do you mean an upside down cone shape? It has to be wider on the bottom than the top right? Also, it sounds like I have to stick to rectangular shapes, is that right?

About the organic fertilizer, I am surprised to hear you say it is not good for fish. It was my understanding that the fish used for the fertilizer was just left over parts from the manufacturing process that would be thrown out anyway? So a layer of composted cow manure is the only other choice?

Thanks

Hi PrairieMoon,

Generally box is supposed to be pruned only after the last frost risk is over.

Nothing so neat as that on fish, sad to say - take a google search for 'industrial fishing', and you'll find plenty. They use small fish like sandeels, and pulp them straight into fishmeal. Basically, it is taking the bottom brick out of the marine food chain, and the consequences are pretty disastrous.

Composted cow manure (or better, horse manure) is fine, so long as the cattle/horses are also organically farmed, not from intensive farms where they are dosed up on hormones and assorted pesticides, much of which can persist in the dung

Resin

Well, resin, I am impressed. You are a wealth of knowledge. Two facts I didn't know about and the third that I had forgotten about. Thanks. Hmm..now to figure out where to get organic cow manure. I try to have enough of my own compost, but, when do you ever have enough. [g] So what do you use for fertilizer?

Thanks for telling me not to prune until danger of frost is past. I would have been out there chopping away at it this weekend. lol Sure glad I came and asked about this first.

:-)