Bush Basics: Tree Shrub Service

Somewhere between an oak tree and a tomato plant lays the tree shrub. The oak may require next to no maintenance in a five-year period; the tomato plant will need attention multiple times a week, or even multiple times a day. The frequency of your shrub service is, fittingly, in the middle of the two.

Tree Shrub Trauma
Unlike that elm or maple, a tree shrub is more affected by physical damage. Many a tree has been hit by a car, and quite a few have lived to tell the tale. Shrubs, on the other hand, can be permanently damaged under much less strain. Shrub service begins before you plant. If your bush is to be placed in a high-risk area (like along a driveway), you may consider putting up a fence or other barrier to protect your plants.

What to Plant
Another preventative form of shrub service is picking the right plant for your property. Decorative tree shrubs can certainly add beauty and value to a lawn, but if they aren't suited to your particular area, they might end up being more trouble than they are worth.

Have your soil's acidity and composition checked before you pick out your shrub. The speed at which the soil drains, the percentage of clay and sand, and the soil's pH level should all be taken into account when deciding on the shrubs your property will host. An easy way to ensure a well-growing, low-maintenance plant is to opt for native species. Native tree shrubs will be more likely to flourish and require little or no extra watering or fertilizer to thrive.

Shrub Pruning
Shrub service is, at its root, a practice in proper pruning. After your shrub is flourishing, it will be necessary to prune at least once a year. Shrub service for hedges and topiaries, though they require more frequent attention, is usually a simple matter of maintaining a shape with hedge clippers. The types of shrubs used for these purposes are well-adapted to non-selective pruning. Other varieties of shrubs will need more attention when pruning time comes around.

A "heading cut" will stimulate growth beneath the cut mark and is made anywhere on a branch that is not a point of origin or attachment; a "thinning cut" is made at a point of attachment or origin and should not encourage extra growth. Proper pruning is a combination of these two types of cuts. There is a definite science to where these cuts should be made. Having a good-looking shrub will depend on the amount of knowledge the person doing the pruning has.

When to Prune
Though there are certainly exceptions, shrub pruning is generally done during the early spring or late winter. This is because it is the time of year when plants are already preparing for new growth. Flowering shrubs that are meant to bloom at this time of year, however, are often pruned during early summer, after the flowers have run their course.

Pruning a Damaged Shrub
When a shrub is damaged by physical trauma (either natural or manmade), it should be pruned at once, regardless of the season. Diseased shrubs should also be pruned as soon as the ailment becomes apparent. It is a good idea to rinse the clippers you are using between cuts to hinder the spread of disease.