Can I trim my non evergreen bushes at this time of year or should I wait till the fall?
Question:I just moved into a new house the previous owners didn't do much landscaping and the bushes look very wild and unkempt. I'd like to fix that...
Answers:
It would help to know the kind of bush.
If it is a spring bloomer, like a lilac or forsythia, pruning now would remove next year's flowers. You should prune them right after they finish blooming in the spring.
I would take a branch of your bush to a good local garden center and ask if they can help you identify it. Then you can learn guidelines for care.
Just trimming won't hurt them.
Yes I do all the time
Non evergreens are normally cut after they have flowered. If the plants have been neglected for a few years, then it is advisable to cut off only a third of the desired amount. Cutting off a lot at once stimulates the plant to overreact, by growing even more new shoots next year. Normally, cutting in the fall encourages a stronger growth than cutting in the spring time (taking the flowering time into consideration). In the fall it is easier to see the branches, making it easier to reshape the shrubs.
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