The Art of Pruning: Why does Proper Pruning Matter for Healthy, Beautiful Plant Groups
We have a pruning epidemic in Central Indiana! The Art of Pruning: Why does Proper Pruning Matter for Healthy, Beautiful Plant Groups
As I drive around the north side of Indianapolis looking to capture photos of proper plant selection and maintenance, I can’t find a single example of proper shrub pruning. House after house, business after business, entrance after entrance, I see sheared plants that have zero character or any resemblance of the natural shape of the plant. When it comes to maintaining thriving, healthy plant groups, one item is often overlooked: how we prune them. Far too often plants are forced into tight, unnatural shapes determined by the person shearing them. Instead of being allowed to grow into their beautiful, natural shape, they’re butchered year after year. Not only is this all-too-common practice unattractive, it also endangers the long-term health and sustainability for our plants.
Prune, Don’t Shear
When a landscape designer designs a planting plan, they are intentional in balancing plants throughout the site, grouping different species together based on size, color, texture, and seasonal interest. Groupings of plants should be pruned in a way that promotes a cohesive mass of growth—not individual, sphere-shaped clumps. Shearing plants might give a clean look temporarily, but it removes much of the natural growth structure and can harm the plants over time.
The Benefits of Proper Pruning
- Healthier Plants: Pruning for health rather than shape encourages strong root systems and a balanced canopy. This ensures your plants have room to breathe, grow, and thrive.
- Less Frequent Pruning: Properly selecting the right plant for the right location means that pruning becomes less of a chore. You’ll find you’re doing less, not more.
- Cost-Effective: Less pruning means fewer hours and less money spent maintaining plantings. A win-win!
- A More Natural Look: Instead of looking unnatural, your plant groupings will grow together seamlessly as one large mass, adding a more organic and natural aesthetic to your landscape.
Choose the Right Plant for the Right Location
When we select plants that are naturally suited to the environment in which we’re placing them, pruning becomes a lot less necessary and in many instances completely unnecessary. Think about factors like soil, light, and space. Healthy plants in their ideal environment and location need minimal intervention.
Pro Tip: Prune for health, not for shape. Healthy, properly pruned plants are more resilient, look better, and ultimately cost you less to maintain.
So next time you head into the garden with your pruners or hire a landscape company, think about the bigger picture and practice some restraint when pruning your plants. Make sure you’re creating a healthy, cohesive plant group that will thrive for years to come. Save your time and dough, and let them grow!
Good Example of Proper Pruning:
Bad Examples of Proper Pruning:
