Maintenance 

Pruning Goals 

General maintenance is performed every year as needed to remove dead, diseased, injured or overly weak growth. Branches that are rubbing or crossing are removed as necessary to reduce the risk of infection and improve aesthetics.

Shaping a shrub to control its size and to improve its appearance can be performed with heading cuts the most dramatic of which is shearing or through thinning cuts, cuts that remove a stem or branch back to a side shoot or back to the source of the limb.

Thinning cuts are generally preferred over heading cuts as they produce new growth within the plant reducing its overall size whilst maintaining an even distribution of foliage. Heading cuts produce a dense outer layer of foliage with little or no inner growth. 

The most common problem seen with shrubs is allowing them to overgrow their allotted space. This can take the form of a tall and lanky plant or a giant undefined mound.  When this occurs it may be beneficial to perform restorative pruning. This is often performed over a few seasons, a third of the oldest branches being cut back close to ground level whilst younger branches are thinned as needed to reduce the size of the plant and restore a pleasing form. 

Maintaining a garden depends on all aspects of stewardship occurring in unison, healthy soil, proper fertilizing and an understanding of how to keep a plant productive. Contemporary Landscaping creates beautiful landscapes free of harmful pesticides and herbicides by caring for all aspects of your plants health.