Flower care

Pruning to Maximize Fruiting Display Shrubs or trees that are prized for their fruit should be pruned after the fruit drops or is eaten by wildlife. Although they may flower early in the season, the fruit should be allowed to develop. After the fruit has lost its appeal, then prune. Examples of plants in this group are certain viburnums and hawthorns. Pruning Needle (Coniferous) Evergreens To promote a compact plant, coniferous evergreens can be pruned in late spring as the new branches elongate, but before they become stiff. Otherwise, they, like broadleaved evergreens, can be pruned whenever the wood is not frozen. However, coniferous types will generally not develop new shoots on older wood, so it isn’t advisable to cut back beyond the living foliage portion of the branches. Pruning Trees Known as “Bleeders” Some deciduous trees have an exceptionally heavy sap flow in the early spring. If cuts are made then, the trees will “bleed.” While this sap loss does not injure the tree, it can be objectionable aesthetically and cause problems for pedestrians, automobiles, etc., passing underneath. “Bleeding” can be avoided by pruning in mid-summer or late fall. Maple, birch, dogwood, elm, walnut, and yellowwood are examples of trees best treated this way.