Some of my shrubs are out of control. When is the best time to prune? JD

If there were only a simple answer to that question. Let’s unpack pruning a little bit here.

For most of us, pruning is a necessity since proper pruning can enhance growth and blooms of most plants. However, improper pruning can ruin the natural look of a plant as well as potentially weaken it and make it more susceptible to stress and disease.

Pruning should be a process we engage in to improve the health, landscape appropriateness, or value of the plant. Essentially, you are removing parts of the plant for the betterment of the plant, flowers, or fruits that remain.

One way to minimize or eliminate the need for pruning is to purchase the right plants for the right location. Pay attention to the labels. If the plant label says it can grow 60 feet tall, don’t plant it under power lines or up next to the house.

Crape myrtles, which tend to fall victim to unnecessary pruning quite often, can be found in miniature or dwarf versions that might be more appropriate for your location. So, if you don’t want a 20-foot-tall crape myrtle, look into the dwarf varieties.

If you need to do some pruning, be sure you have a good set of tools. You should have lopping shears, a hand pruner, possibly a bow saw, and maybe most importantly good leather gloves (your fingers will thank you).

Your pruning toolbox does not need to include wound dressing though. On one hand, it makes a certain amount of sense to spray the pruning wound to help seal it and protect it from rot or disease. But these wound dressings can actually contribute to disease and rot by letting moisture into the wound. Best practices suggest that a good clean pruning cut will naturally callus over faster than one that has been painted. There’s a step you can skip.

So, when is the best time to prune? As a rule, the best time to prune “most” plants (notice the “most” in the sentence) is during late winter or early spring before growth begins. The worst time to prune “most” plants is right after new growth begins to emerge in the spring. Pruning in late summer is also not a great idea because they may try to push out new growth which will not do well when cold temperatures arrive.

Another problem with pruning is that many of us tend to put it off for several years and then we end up with a shrub that needs some serious pruning. Most of us have been guilty of this. But remember, when pruning to cut off no more than 1/3 of the plant. Cutting off more will decrease the plant’s ability to recover well.

For more specific pruning recommendations on pruning, please check out the Pruning Guide on our website (www.tulsamastergardeners.org). You will find it on our Lawn and Garden Help page. It includes specific recommendations for over 100 different varieties of plants.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.

Photo: Joseph OBrien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org