Skip to main content

As spring turns to summer, add these plants to your pruning list

When spring has sprung, it’s time to get out your shears to prune your plants — at least some plants, anyway. As the weather warms up and spring transitions into summer, it’s time for housekeeping in your yard. During this time of the year, you should plan to tackle plants that have already flowered.

As long as you don’t accidentally cut off any flower buds, pruning is a great way to encourage vigorous growth and shape your plants while removing diseased or intrusive branches and stems. If you’re wondering what you can actually prune this time of the year, read ahead for a comprehensive list of plants to prune in late spring.

Person pruning lilacs
VH-studio / Shutterstock

Lilacs

Spring-flowering trees, such as lilac trees, should be pruned around late spring. Cut lilacs right after they bloom or when you notice flower clusters decreasing in size. Avoid holding off pruning for too long, as buds will start forming after your flowers fade. When pruning, you’ll want to look for any dead wood and old canes. Cut old shoots to the ground so that new ones can grow in their place.

Recommended Videos

Deciduous shrubs

If you have overgrown shrubs planted solely for ornamental foliage, you can prune them at any time of the year except late autumn — trimmed branches with new shoots may be too tender to survive winter chills. In the late spring, you can tackle any dead or weakened branches to shape your shrubs. If you have a big pruning job planned, wait until the winter dormancy to go about it. 

Sap-bearing trees

Pruning sap-bearing trees, or “bleeder trees,” in the winter or early spring can get messy, as sap pours from the wounds. With walnut, birch, and maple trees, it’s best to prune in the late spring or summer. Some gardeners prefer trimming these trees once their leaves form, but you can go in even earlier. Cut down soft, new growth but don’t remove any more than one-third of the growth at a time.

Person pruning cherry tree
encierro / Shutterstock

Flowering cherry trees

You should prune flowering cherry trees after they produce their beautiful blooms. In the two-week window after your trees flower, keep your pruning light but remove any diseased branches and suckers. The dormant season is when you’ll want to go in for more drastic pruning endeavors.

Camellias

Other than their glossy leaves, camellias are known for their beautiful, long-lasting blooms that span from late winter to early spring in many areas. A late-spring pruning around May encourages robust growth and keeps thin branches at bay. You won’t need to prune your camellia plants until they’re around 4 years old, so you can leave younger plants alone. 

Mountain hydrangeas

Native to Japan and Korea, these popular flattened flowers are easy to care for as long as you give them partial shade and well-draining soil. They do, however, require due diligence when it comes to pruning. You want to remove spent blooms and prune to promote continued blooming during the growing season. Keep in mind that if you tip-prune the branches as leaves pop up in the spring, this may encourage many small flower heads versus fewer large ones.

A person pruning a small rose bush
Tatevosian Yana / Shutterstock

Roses

Roses, particularly climbing and garden roses, are spring bloomers that tend to only bloom once per year after enjoying full sun in early to mid-spring. With annual bloomers, prune them right after they flower. Although some flowers prefer an early-growing-season pruning, late spring is just the right time to cut back overgrown rose bushes and remove dead stems. During this time of year, you can also deadhead repeat bloomers and prune their damaged branches.

Honeysuckles

Besides their fresh fragrance, honeysuckles are known for their fast growth — without regular pruning, some varieties can reach up to 30 feet tall. You can prune honeysuckle vines all year long, but make time to prune the bushes around late spring or early summer after the flowers fade. For any intensive pruning undertakings, wait until fall or winter.

Azaleas

Azaleas are low-maintenance blooms that are relatively easy to manage with pruning. Pruning is also a great way to keep them healthy and give them a beautiful shape — azalea bushes can grow very big if you don’t keep their size in check. Wait for their flowers to fade, then go in carefully by removing unhealthy sprigs. With azaleas, you won’t need to chop down too much at a time; in fact, it’s best to thin them gradually. 

If you know when to do it and how to go about it, pruning doesn’t have to be a daunting chore. After enjoying showy flowers in the spring, get your shears and loppers ready to prune back your plant for another beautiful display the following year.

Stacey Nguyen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Stacey's work has appeared on sites such as POPSUGAR, HelloGiggles, Buzzfeed, The Balance, TripSavvy, and more. When she's…
Companion flowers for vegetables: What to plant in your garden
Add these flowers to your vegetable garden to help it thrive
A close-up of a marigold bloom

If you want fresh vegetables to enjoy at home, growing your own is one way to achieve that. There are many easy to grow vegetables, and it’s possible to have a thriving vegetable garden no matter your experience level. However, proper companion planting can be a huge help in the garden. Using a companion planting chart to choose which vegetables to plant next to each other is the first step, but the second is to choose the right companion flowers for vegetables. Here are a few of the best options for you to consider.
Bee balm

There are several functions that companion flowers for vegetables can serve. Bee balm is great for attracting pollinators. This is helpful for any garden, but especially for vegetable gardens with a lot of fruits like peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants. Pollinators are drawn to the bee balm, and then they visit your vegetable plants. More pollinated flowers means more delicious tomatoes to harvest.

Read more
Peat moss vs. coco peat: Which is best?
Find out what each growing medium is good for
Peat moss

Tried-and-true peat moss and up-and-coming coco peat (or coir) are each natural soil conditioners that can be extremely beneficial for those with sandier soil compositions. Each of these products can be useful, but how do you know which one is right for you? What are they even used for? If you're wondering whether you should be using peat moss or coco coir, then this is the guide for you. We'll break down everything to know about the peat moss vs. coco peat debate, so you're prepared to give your plants the best care you can.
What is coconut soil?

Coco fiber is often referred to as coconut soil or coco coir. It is a byproduct of coconut production and tends to be sourced in regions such as Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. Coco coir has a long history of use as a hydroponic growing medium. It’s becoming more popular as an alternative to soil for gardeners around the world.

Read more
What is no-dig gardening? Here’s how to do it
Start your own no-dig garden today
A heliotrope plant growing in a garden

There are as many ways to design a garden as there are gardeners, with more variations and methods than we can count. Many of these variations offer benefits, ranging from the soothing effects of zen gardens to the ecological benefits of native wildflower gardens. One beneficial gardening method you might want to try out is no-dig gardening. If you aren’t familiar with this technique, you might be confused by the name. How can you grow a garden without digging? We’ve put together this guide for just that reason, and the answers are simpler than you might imagine.
What is no-dig gardening and is it right for you?

No-dig gardening doesn’t mean you never dig at all -- you’ll still need to dig holes if you want to plant seedlings or mature plants. It just means that digging is limited to only the times when it's necessary. By limiting the amount of digging you do, your garden can more closely mirror the natural environment, leading to fewer weeds, better drainage, and healthier soil.

Read more