When homeowners say they are going to prune their shrubs, they often mean they are going to 'shear' their shrubs. Although shearing has its uses in landscaping, it is usually done for aesthetic reasons and seldom results in a healthy plant. Pruning on the other hand, if done correctly, leaves the plant healthier and shaped more true to its natural form.

Shearing, sometimes called heading, is used to form shrubs into desired shapes as in a hedge or as a topiary. Although the plants are aesthetically pleasing, they are seldom healthy. Shearing results in stimulating a lot of new growth at the very outside of the plant where the cuts are made. This thick growth then prevents light from reaching the inside of the plant, causing the interior to be limited in foliage and contain mainly branches. The growth at the point of shearing will be very fast, resulting in the need for constant shearing to keep the plant in the desired shape. If you feel you must have that manicured hedge, when shaping the hedge, leave the base wider than the top. This will allow sun to reach the lower branches with the end result of maintaining a healthier plant.

Another reason plants are sheared is that the wrong size plant was chosen for a location. Always remember when purchasing plants to take into account its' mature size. Since most plants come in a varieties of mature sizes, take your time and choose a plant appropriate for the allocated space. If you chose a variety that will grow larger than you need or have allowed space for, you will be constantly shearing it back to the appropriate size. However, if you find yourself in this situation, actual pruning, not shearing, will be easier on you and the shrub.

Proper pruning always results in the healthier more vigorous plant. Proper pruning also leaves the shrub in its true form, not shaped into something it isn't. Take the Crepe Myrtle for example. For years, Crepe Myrtles were cut back to the main trunks every winter, causing the plants to sprout multiple arching stems on each trunk. This shape became associated with the Crepe Myrtle and soon became the norm. Only now are landscapers learning to use different varieties in different locations and allowing the plant to grow as nature intended. These Crepe Myrtles require minimal, care just the removal of unwanted sprouts on the major stems and around the base, and are just as beautiful, if not more so, than the ones that have been "Crepe Murdered".

Any pruning should begin with removal of any dead or crossing branches. Crossing branches are branches that grow inward toward or crossing the inside of the shrub. These are of no use and can inhibit the growth of desired branches by shading the inside of the plant. Once the dead and crossing branches have been removed, you will need to determine what type of pruning the shrub needs: maintenance or rejuvenation.

Maintenance pruning is only required a couple of times a year and involves just removing unwanted branches to maintain a natural shape. Look for long branches that look out of place. When removing, reach into the center of the plant and find the point of natural branching. This is the place you want to make the cut. The cut should be at a 45 degree angle to allow water to run off. Make the cut 1/4 inch above a bud node. The bud node is where new growth will begin, so choose a node pointing in the direction of the desired growth. Choosing a node pointed toward the center of the plant will result in a crossing branch. If the shrub is a flowering variety such as azaleas, remember the old adage "Prune after Bloom" if you still want your yearly bloom.

Rejuvenation pruning should be reserved for older plants. As plants age, major stems or branches lose their vigor and become unproductive. Rejuvenation pruning means exactly what it says, it rejuvenates older plants by returning them to their prior vigor and form. There are two ways to do this, one drastic and the other is less severe.

Sometimes called renewal pruning, this drastic pruning involves cutting the plant completely back to a height between 6 to 12 inches. Since this can be very hard on a plant, it is not suitable for all shrubs, so check with your local nursery, extension agent or research it yourself before cutting. Timing is also critical with this type of pruning as the plant will need time to recover. Late winter or very early spring is best as the plant is still dormant. Pruning is late Fall or mid-Winter may actually stimulate growth that can then be damaged by the cold. Renewal pruning will result in vigorous growth and by summer stems can then be thinned and trimmed to encourage lateral branching.

If the plant is still fairly vigorous, if the shrub cannot handle a drastic cutback or if you want to rejuvenate the shrub but still maintain its form in the landscape, you can do a less drastic long term rejuvenation. This process spans a three year period, so only one third of the plant is removed at any time. Begin by determining which are the oldest, least productive stems and cut them back to the ground but do not remove more than one third of the plant. The second year, once again review and remove the oldest one third of the stems. Finally in the third year, you will remove the remaining old stems. Now you have a completely new vigorous plant and yet you maintained your desired landscaping during this process.

Following these simple techniques will keep your shrubs healthy, vigorous and, in the case of flowering shrubs, covered in blooms year after year.