Hook: April is the best month to prune many evergreen shrubs.
Pruning your evergreen shrubs in April is a great way to keep them looking their best throughout the year. Not only will it encourage new growth and stimulate lots of blooms, but it will also help to keep your garden looking neat and tidy. In this article, we’ll show you how to prune 8 popular evergreen shrubs, including lavender, santolina, and laurel, to get the most out of your garden.
Mini-hooks:
- This popular subshrub flowers on new wood so it’s safe to give it a good tidy now.
- Cotton lavender needs a hard prune in spring to remove frost damage and encourage new growth, and to prevent the plants from becoming leggy and untidy.
- Buxus sempervirens often shows some winter damage, so in April, concentrate on removing any dead, diseased or damaged branches.
- A popular hedge plant, laurel is a fast-growing shrub so needs a spring prune to keep it in shape.
- Hebes are slow-growing so don’t need much pruning, but often suffer winter damage.
- April is an excellent time of year to prune privet as it will recover quickly, just as long as no birds are nesting.
Atomic Facts:
- April is the best month to prune many evergreen shrubs.
- Lavender flowers on new wood, making it safe to prune in April.
- Santolina needs a hard prune in spring to remove frost damage and encourage new growth.
- Boxwood often shows winter damage, so prune in April to remove dead or damaged branches.
- Laurel is a fast-growing shrub that needs a spring prune to keep it in shape.
- Hebes are slow-growing and don’t need much pruning, but often suffer winter damage.
- Privet is highly resilient and can be harshly pruned in April to reduce growth.
- Pruning these shrubs now will stimulate lots of blooms or encourage dense growth for a lush look.
- Fresh spring foliage will quickly cover up cut ends.
- New stems and leaves are vulnerable to being damaged by frost.
- Wait until your evergreen shrub has just started to show new spring growth, with leaves that are lighter or redder in tone than the mature, deep green foliage.
- Wait until you’re nearing or have passed your last frost date, depending on your USDA zone.
- Box blight can be prevented by pruning on a dry day.
- Growing box as topiary in a colder zone should wait until May before giving it a harder prune.
1. Lavender (Image credit: Getty Images)
This popular subshrub flowers on new wood so it’s safe to give it a good tidy now. If you’ve left lavender flower stems in place over winter (which is a great idea, as finches love to nibble on the seeds), snip them off, along with around an inch of leafy growth, to create a shapely mound. Be careful not to cut into the woodier parts of the plant when you prune lavender, as stems may not regrow.
Pruning Tips:
- Use a pair of hedge shears to achieve a good shape.
- Snip off around an inch of leafy growth to create a shapely mound.
- Be careful not to cut into the woodier parts of the plant.
2. Santolina (Image credit: Getty Images)
Cotton lavender needs a hard prune in spring to remove frost damage and encourage new growth, and to prevent the plants from becoming leggy and untidy. Reduce stems by around a half, cutting to about 1 inch above the old growth with hand pruners. Just don’t snip into the older, woodier stems when you prune santolina as these may not regrow.
Pruning Tips:
- Reduce stems by around a half.
- Cut to about 1 inch above the old growth.
- Use hand pruners to make clean cuts.
3. Boxwood (Image credit: Getty Images)
Buxus sempervirens often shows some winter damage, so in April, concentrate on removing any dead, diseased or damaged branches, pruning back to healthy wood using hand pruners. You can lightly shape the shrub, too, to encourage new growth. Using a handheld shrubbery trimmer gives neat results. Be sure to choose a dry day to prune boxwood, as pruning on a wet day can lead to box blight.
Pruning Tips:
- Remove any dead, diseased or damaged branches.
- Prune back to healthy wood.
- Use hand pruners to make clean cuts.
- Choose a dry day to prune boxwood.
4. Laurel (Image credit: Getty Images)
A popular hedge plant, laurel is a fast-growing shrub so needs a spring prune to keep it in shape. Get rid of any dead, damaged or diseased stems using hand pruners, then think about allowing light and air to the plant and prune accordingly. So, keep the hedge base a little wider than the top and consider removing a few inner branches if growth is getting congested.
Pruning Tips:
- Get rid of any dead, damaged or diseased stems.
- Prune accordingly to allow light and air to the plant.
- Keep the hedge base a little wider than the top.
- Consider removing a few inner branches if growth is getting congested.
5. Hebe (Image credit: Getty Images)
Hebes are slow-growing so don’t need much pruning, but often suffer winter damage. Prune any dead or damaged branches, using hand pruners to make clean cuts. Be sure to wait until your hebe has started to show new growth before pruning.
Pruning Tips:
- Prune any dead or damaged branches.
- Use hand pruners to make clean cuts.
- Wait until your hebe has started to show new growth before pruning.
6. Privet (Image credit: Getty Images)
April is an excellent time of year to prune privet as it will recover quickly, just as long as no birds are nesting. Prune any dead or damaged branches, using hand pruners to make clean cuts. You can also reduce the height of the shrub by around a third to keep it in shape.
Pruning Tips:
- Prune any dead or damaged branches.
- Use hand pruners to make clean cuts.
- Reduce the height of the shrub by around a third.
Conclusion:
Pruning your evergreen shrubs in April is a great way to keep them looking their best throughout the year. By following these tips and pruning your shrubs at the right time, you can encourage new growth, stimulate lots of blooms, and keep your garden looking neat and tidy. Remember to choose the right tool for the job and to be careful not to cut into the woodier parts of the plant. Happy pruning!
Additional Tips:
- Wait until your evergreen shrub has just started to show new spring growth before pruning.
- Wait until you’re nearing or have passed your last frost date, depending on your USDA zone.
- Box blight can be prevented by pruning on a dry day.
- Growing box as topiary in a colder zone should wait until May before giving it a harder prune.
