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Are you dealing with overgrown shrubs? Are they looking old & ragged? Most shrubs are planted because they can last a lifetime or more with proper hydration and care. However, without following the shrubs' need for a particular soil, nutrients, watering schedule, or pruning, you can wind up with misshapen landscape eyesores that are more brown than green.
Here are some tips on when and how to manage overgrown shrubs and rejuvenate old shrubs in your commercial or residential landscape.
Do you know what the shrubs are? If not, consult with your landscape professional to identify them. You can also use free apps, like LeafSnap, to identify plant names. Once you know what the shrub is, you can begin to learn more about what it needs and amend its care accordingly.
For example, some shrubs require more water than others. Here in California, where drought-tolerant landscape design has been trending for decades, home and business owners may find that certain shrubs are being over-, rather than under-watered, and their plants are suffering from root saturation as a result.
Once you’ve identified them, make a card for each shrub and write down its ideal growing conditions, soil requirements, whether it needs annual, bi-annual, or seasonal nutrients/fertilizer, and the best way to prune it. Then, take a look at where it is growing and see if the location suits the shrub.
For example, if you have a sun-loving shrub that is growing on a perpetually shady side of the house, you may want to hire a professional landscaper to help you decide the best course of action, which could include digging it up and replanting it in a more suitable location. Or, you may simply need to prune an adjacent tree to help give the shrub more light.
Plants look their best when they are deadheaded on a regular basis. This means that you or your landscape team remove dead blooms. In addition to making the shrub look better, deadheading also encourages more blooming, increasing the visual interest and color in your landscape for longer.
Some plants, like roses, simply require that you pinch or break the dead blooms right off the stem. Most bushes and flowering shrubs, however, require the use of pruning shears or a sharp pair of scissors to get the job done correctly. Again, knowing what kind of plant you are working will allow you to research the best pruning methods.
Most commonly, you will cut the stem below the dead or fading bloom, just ahead of the next growth of leaves. Always cut the stem at a 45-degree angle to allow it to absorb more moisture and heal more quickly.
In the next section, we are going to talk about rejuvenation pruning, which should typically happen in the spring. If, however, you have a shrub that is growing in a way that compromises a walkway, path, or stairway, you’ll need to prune as conservatively as you can while still ensuring that safety is the priority.
Cut the branches or any foliage blocking paths back to the walkway border so passersby can access the entirety of the path or stairs without tripping. If you haven’t already, read our post about The Best Ways to Light Up Your Walkway to further ensure the safety of those who enjoy your landscape design.
While deadheading is fine to rejuvenate old shrubs, major pruning should only take place at certain times of year to ensure the healthy growth, flowering, and foliage of your shrubs. If your shrubs are healthy but have grown beyond their intended proportions over the years, rejuvenation pruning is the way to cut them back to a desired size and shape, while ensuring the plant continues to thrive.
Most deciduous shrubs do just fine after a more dramatic, rejuvenation pruning, but you should always verify the genus and species, and review pruning recommendations, before initiating any major cuts. If you are doing major prune on a shrub that can handle it (hydrangea, forsythia, cane-growth viburnums, honeysuckle, lilac, Carberry, and flowering quince, for example), you can cut the entire shrub down to 6-inches to 10-inches above the ground. The plant will begin regenerating faster than you can believe, sending out new, vibrant shoots. Keep in mind that spring-blooming shrubs won’t bloom that season, but will reward you with gorgeous blooms the following spring.
If your shrub needs more moderate rejuvenation pruning, you will begin a three-year pruning journey. This year, you will cut away one-third of the overgrown or dying branches; the second year you will take half of the lingering older stems, and you will finish clearing the rest during the final year.
After that, regular pruning and plant-specific care will keep your shrubs looking their best from here on out.
Not sure about how to tackle your old, ragged, or overgrown shrubs? It may be time to call in the professionals. Read our post on Choosing the Right Company for Your Landscape Project.
Contact us here at Bay Area Landscapes. Our crew can take a look, identify all of the trees and shrubs in your existing landscape plan, and provide a season-by-season care plan. We’re happy to take care of the plan for you, or our plant experts can teach you how to perform DIY care and pruning for your current shrubs, plants, and trees.