The Home Pruning Guide

This guide is organized by plant type. Find your plant, check the timing, then make the cuts in the order given.

Before any cut

• Identify the plant and whether it flowers on old wood or new wood.
• Clean and sharpen your blades. See how to care for pruning tools.
• Remove dead, damaged and diseased wood first.
• Never take more than about a quarter to a third of live growth in one season.

Flowering shrubs

Spring bloomers

Lilac, forsythia and similar shrubs set next year’s buds soon after flowering. Prune them within a few weeks of the blooms fading. Thin the oldest stems to the ground and shorten any that stick out.

Summer bloomers

Shrubs that flower on this year’s growth can be pruned in late winter or early spring. Cut them back harder if they’ve grown leggy. Details in flowering shrub timing.

Roses

Prune as buds begin to swell in late winter or early spring. Cut out dead canes, then any that cross or rub. Keep three to five strong canes and cut each to just above an outward-facing bud at a slight angle. Climbers and shrub roses need lighter work. More in when to prune roses.

Fruit trees

Apples and pears get their structural prune while dormant. Aim for an open or central-leader shape with well-spaced branches. Remove water sprouts and suckers. Stone fruits such as cherries and plums are often pruned in dry summer weather instead, which can reduce disease risk. Our first winter prune walk-through covers a young tree step by step.

Hedges

Trim so the base is slightly wider than the top. That lets light reach the lower leaves and keeps the hedge full to the ground. Check for nesting birds before you start.

When to call a pro

Large limbs, anything needing a tall ladder, and work near power lines. Those carry real injury risk.