PRUNING GUIDELINES & INSTRUCTIONS GENERALIZATIONS: Wherever a cut is made, buds below that cut are stimulated to grow. Prune to outward facing buds if possible on deciduous plants. Alternate Buds - Select the outward facing bud. EXAMPLES: Amelanchiers, Aronias, Pagoda Dogwoods, Hawthorns, Cotoneasters, Crabapples, Magnolias, Prunus, Rhododendrons, Roses, Alpine Currants, Sumacs, Birches, Red Buds, Locusts, Willows, Poplars, Lindens. Opposing Buds - Prune just above selected buds. DO NOT LEAVE A STUB. Rub out the inward facing bud. EXAMPLES: Maples, most Dogwoods, Euonymus, Forsythias, Honeysuckles, Lilacs, Viburnums, Weigelas, Ashes. Don't try to alter the natural form of the plant. A good pruning job is like a good haircut - you cannot tell when it has been done. EXCEPTION: Formalization of hedges, etc. Prune for health and vigor. Remove dead and broken branches. Remove crossing and rubbing branches. Remove suckers as they appear from the ground. Do not attempt to control suckers with herbicides - it may kill the entire plant. Remove waterspouts (vertical growth on major limbs) generally in June. EXAMPLE: Crabapples. Thin for disease control. EXAMPLE: Crabapples. Select the stronger branch of double leaders (2 branches growing from one branch collar). The strongest crotch angles are those at 90° angles. Remove the weaker branch. Don't top a tree - it forms a column of decay that weakens the entire tree. TIME: Most deciduous shrubs are pruned just prior to heavy flush of growth in Spring (March or April). Early Spring bloomers are pruned just after flowers fade. EXAMPLES: Forsythias, Magnolias, Rhododendrons. Watch out for bleeders - the plants are not harmed, but it is cosmetically unappealing. Prune these in mid-Summer. EXAMPLES: Pagoda Dogwoods, Maples, Birches, Grapes, Alders, Willows, Poplars. Oaks should be pruned during their dormant season to reduce the spread of oak wilt fungus, never in summer. Insects transmit the disease through the sap. On Pines, regulate growth by pinching back up to _ of the newly formed candle with fingers. Prune before the needles break beyond the candle stage. On Spruce, Firs and Douglas Firs, prune back into previous seasons' growth in March or April. On Yews, Junipers and Arborvitae, do major shaping in March and April. Touch up prune in early July. On Roses (Hybrid Tea types), remove dead and diseased canes in April. Leave canes pencil size or greater. Remove faded blooms to a 5-part leaf pointing away from the center of the plant. METHODS OF PRUNING: Heading Back - Remove terminal branches back to the nearest bud. This results in a more bushy, full plant. Generally done for formalization. Thinning Out - Remove entire stems/branches back to lateral branches on the trunk. This retains the natural plant shape and strengthens remaining terminals. Renewal Pruning - Remove approximately ¼-_ of the oldest, thickest stems near the base of the plant when the plant matures to 3-5 years in age. This returns growth vigor to the remaining stems at the natural growing point. EXAMPLES: Red Twig, Yellow Twig and Variegated Dogwoods, Arrowwoods and Highbush Cranberrys, Viburnums, Alpine Currants, Common Lilacs, Rugosa Roses, Purpleleaf Sand Cherries, Nanking Cherries, Clavery and Zabel Honeysuckles, Forsythias, Privets, Aronias, Snowmound Spireas Haircut/Renewal Pruning - Cut off 50% of the top growth, then remove ¼-_ of the oldest, thickest stems near the base of the plant. This make scraggly plants look neater and invigorates new growth. EXAMPLES: Potentillas, 'Gold Flame', 'Frobellii' and 'Anthony Waterer' Spireas Shearing - Shape plants so that the sides slop outward from the base of the plants. This allows light to penetrate to the lower leaves. It is performed primarily on hedges, but may also be done on certain individual plants. PRUNING INSTRUCTIONS SERVICEBERRY - LOCUST - HAWTHORN Prune only any dead wood in Spring. Prune any cross-branching or inward/downward growth. SPRUCE - PINE No need to prune unless they become misshapen or the leader needs training. If so, prune new growth (candles) in late May prior to them opening and setting bud for the following year. CHOKEBERRY - VIBURNUM Prune/thin out in Spring if needed - do not shear. As plant gets older, renewal prune them by removing large, non-productive branches at base of plant, leaving the new growth to take over. BURNING BUSH Prune dead wood as needed, do not shear. LILAC Only prune this plant if needed immediately after bloom. It will then set buds for the following season. SUMAN - COTONEASTER - SHRUB ROSE - SNOWMOUND SPIREA Remove dead wood in Spring and hand prune to retain shape. Allow these plants to mass together over many years. ANTHONY WATERER SPIREA - DIERVILLA Cut back to 10-12” in the late Fall. Prune as needed throughout season. Allow these plants to mass together also. Please feel free to contact Stano Landscaping, Inc. at 414-358-1800 with any of your landscape questions or concerns.