| If you are creating a full yard landscape and using | | | | more quickly when trimmed at certain times but |
| trees, shrubs, hedges, and other larger plants to | | | | almost all larger species will do just fine regardless |
| tie everything together you must take into | | | | of when they are trimmed. To wait another year |
| account how much trimming, or pruning, you are | | | | for the window that the experts say is perfect |
| setting yourself up for. | | | | will just do two things: |
| Keeping your plants trimmed is an ongoing | | | | - Allow your plantings another year to grow even |
| process and one that can be a lot more like work | | | | larger and more out of shape than they are now |
| than "gardening". Regardless trimming must be | | | | - Make your work just that much harder next |
| done if you are to keep the visual impact of your | | | | year |
| overall design you want. | | | | A much better practice is to do light trimming |
| How many times have you passed a property | | | | when it is needed than to wait. Such regular |
| that is so overgrown that you can barely see the | | | | trimming is both easier on the plants than a single |
| house itself? These properties are examples of | | | | heavy trimming once a year but it will also |
| what happens when perfectly good landscaping is | | | | encourage your plants to fill out in all directions |
| not kept in check and is allowed to overgrow the | | | | instead of just up and out. |
| lot. | | | | Please keep in mind that this all supposed to be |
| I believe this happens, more often than not, | | | | fun so the easier you can make each individual |
| because the owner has bought into the notion | | | | task the more enjoyment you will have. So keep |
| that there is a "right" time to trim and then | | | | the hedge cutter well maintained and schedule |
| misses that perfect window for a year or two. | | | | yourself for an occasional tree prune session and |
| Nonsense! | | | | you will present a well groomed, beautiful yard all |
| I will not argue that some plants will recover | | | | year. |