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How to Prune Plants

Effective pruning depends on three things. Timing. Technique. And sharp tools for a crisp, clean cut that seals more quickly than a ragged cut.

Use hand pruners for stems less than 1/4-inch thick, loppers for stems up to 1/2-inch thick, and a Japanese pruning saw or a bow saw for woody stems thicker than that. Early spring is a good time to prune many plants because they are dormant and won’t lose energy-producing foliage.

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Long-Stem Roses

Roses come in various growth habits, from long-stem hybrid teas, grandifloras and floribundas to mound-forming shrubs and sprawling ramblers. Because long-stem roses often suffer some winter dieback, spring is a good time to see where living green tissue ends and dead brown stem takes over.

When pruning roses, cut brown stems back to the green portion, cutting diagonally just 1/4-inch above a bud. Spring is also the time to thin out overgrown rose bushes, removing a few of the thickest, old stems.