Whew!  Finally made it through this last “bite” of summer.  Time to enjoy that evening beer outside in your favorite spot (or if you’re a morning person like me, that morning cup of coffee).  Oh No!  Sammy the shrub and Vinnie the vine have confiscated your spot by overgrowing into them.  You think to yourself, “Well, I’ll fix their little red wagon,” as you head to the garage to get the machete and chainsaw.  

Wait! Take a breath and count to 10.  Let’s stop and think of why we put Sammy and Vinnie where they are in the first place.  Was it to create a screening, for their flowers, covering over an arbor/pergola, or their unique growth habit?  It’s important to know what shrubs you have, how they will react to the particular type of pruning you are about to perform, and what your overall goal is.  Trim that Burning Bush now and you’ll sacrifice the beautiful bright red foliage you’ve been waiting for all summer.  Trim your spring blooming shrubs such as Forsythia or Lilacs now and you will be cutting off the blooms for next year.  What about the Rose of Sharon?  It’s still blooming!  While there are no hard and fast rules like in English (“I” before “e” except after “c”. Ha! Don’t believe that for a second), there are pruning techniques to help keep your landscape in check.  Fall is a great time to trim shrubs.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed just give us a call.

What about that overbearing Ogre of a shrub in front of your window that blocks out the view, sunlight, airflow, “heck, why do we even have a window there”………………………..I’ll  cover this later.   Time to get back to my morning cup of coffee.