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The way you prune a plant influences how it will look, both now and in the future. Where you make a cut will determine whether new shoots appear and which direction they will grow. If you want to remove a cross limb or any other branch that should not grow back, cut it at its point of origin, leaving as little stub as possible. Anytime you cut a branch in the middle, you encourage new shoots.
Study a branch before cutting. It will have either leaves that alternate from one side of the branch to the other or leaves that are paired along the branch. At the base of every leaf is a dormant bud. Wherever you prune, a new shoot will sprout from the leaf just below the cut. If your plant has alternate leaves, cut just above a bud that points in the direction you want it to grow. Dormant buds are found at the base of every leaf, and these buds will sprout when the tip of the branch is pruned.
Shearing is also a type of pruning that maintains a tree or shrub in a formal shape, such as a hedge or topiary plant. Most plants should be maintained in their natural form. You should do your last pruning or shearing of the season several weeks before the first frost so the plants have time to put on new growth that will hide the cut leaves. Shearing too late will prompt succulent new growth that will be killed by frost.
Also, be sure to shape a hedge so that it is slightly wider at the base than at the top. This allows sunlight to reach the lower branches, maintaining a good thick growth. If the top is as wide as or wider than the bottom, it will shade the lower portion and the hedge will become bare at the base.
Note: If you need to prune azaleas or camellias, do so by the end of May because they start setting next year’s buds soon after this.
Sandra Kurtz, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service