Now that you’ve tackled most of your early spring chores such as yard cleanup, planting your vegetables, and early-season lawn care, you’re ready to turn to other maintenance tasks, such as pruning. There are many reasons pruning is beneficial.
“Pruning is important for the health of the plant to remove dead, damaged growth or disease so problems don't spread,” says Megan Proska, associate vice president of horticulture and collections at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. “Pruning also shapes and controls the size of the plant so it doesn't get overgrown or ‘leggy.’”
If you want your plant to bloom well, regular trimming also can help some plants perform better in the landscape.
“Pruning can encourage flowering because younger stems generally flower more profusely,” says Tim Johnson, senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden. “Pruning also maintains aesthetic appearances.”
While native or naturalized species can usually be left alone, especially if you prefer the more natural look, occasional thinning can improve air circulation, which reduces fungal issues and pests. Pruning can be especially helpful for rejuvenating shrubs that have become overgrown to stimulate fresh, vigorous growth, says Proska.
Ahead, read on to learn what our experts say you can prune in May and June:
Asters
These keystone plants, which means they support many different kinds of wildlife including beneficial insects and birds, provide color and food for pollinators late in the season. But asters tend to get leggy if left alone; pinch these back—typically not later than early summer or July 4th in northern climates—which will result in more compact, less floppy plants.
Bee Balm
Bee balm is another pollinator-favorite that tends to get droopy if you don’t give it a little trim in late spring or early summer. Pinch the stems back when the plants are about 3 inches tall to result in a more compact plant. Deadheading the spent flowers after blooms fade also helps it flower for a longer period of time.
Sedum
Some types of upright sedum, such as the classic ‘Autumn Joy,’ do better when pinched back in late spring and early summer. Otherwise, the heavy stems can fall over and look untidy.
Catmint
Wait until catmint flowers, then trim it back. Some varieties will repeat flower if cut back after flowering.
Spirea
Many spring-flowering shrubs and trees can be shaped immediately after blooms fade. Spring-flowering spirea is a shrub that may become too leggy if you don’t trim it back right after it blooms. Conventional summer bloomers can be sheared after blooming, which may cause them to push a second flush of flowers. Reblooming types typically don’t need pruning to bloom again.
Redbud
This iconic spring bloomer should not be pruned until after it blooms. Otherwise, you’ll remove next year’s flowers from your redbud.
Azalea
Azaleas can be pruned right after they bloom in late spring. Reblooming types seldom need pruning but can be shaped lightly right after the spring bloom so you don’t cut off the summer flowers.
Forsythia
Because forsythia flowers on old wood, you need to prune this plant immediately after it’s finished flowering. Otherwise, you will cut off next year’s blooms and won’t enjoy the sunshine-colored flowers next spring.
