Late Winter Is The Time For Hard Pruning

If you have an old shrub that has grown too big for its space, now is the time to get it under control. Winter is the best time to do a hard pruning because the shrub is dormant, so you won’t risk damage to delicate buds.  In addition, it will have plenty of time to recover from the pruning before next winter.  A hard, or renovation, pruning is when you cut the stems back almost to the ground.  Keep in mind that a shrub that blooms on old growth may not bloom in the first season after a hard pruning.

Use a hand saw or pruner to cut the stems back 6-10 inches from the ground.   It may be easier to use a chain saw for very thick stems.  In mid-summer, cut back about ½ of the new stems.  Prune some of the remaining stems so that they aren’t all the same size. Always try to prune back to an outward facing bud to force new growth out and away from the center of the shrub.

Not all shrubs will tolerate a hard pruning, so be sure to do a little research before you begin. Keep notes so that you’ll remember which of your plants can handle a renovation pruning. It helps if you take photos before and after you prune.  This way you’ll be able to document how well the plant recovers.

Here is an interesting video that illustrates hard pruning. In the video you’ll see that they prune Burning Bush within a few inches of the ground, but they leave 2-3 feet of the Viburnum stems.