Thefirst op�on will leave you with blooms that PruningSuckeringShrubs maybetoohightoreach.A�erspring Suckering shrubs, simply put, are plants that blooming,cut1/3ofthemainleadertoabud keepexpandingtheirfootprintbypu�ngup poin�nginthedirec�onyouwantthenext newshootsfurtherfromthemiddleofthe branchtogrow.Thisisaheadingcutandwill root mass. They tend to become thick and invigorate buds further on down the branch denseratherquickly, pu�ngoutcrossed becausethedominantbudandtheauxinit stemsthato�enleadtodamageanddisease. produced,hasbeenremoved.Keepremoving Theyalsoproducefewerflowersorfruit anysuckersthatappearatthebaseofthetree becausetheplantispu�ngallitsenergyinto andcutoffanylowhanginglimbstothebranch building plant mass. collar, where they a�ach to the main trunk. Suckering shrubs should be pruned in early Thesecondop�onwillleaveyouwithno spring before bud break. Even on spring bloomsforthefirstyeara�ercu�ng,butyou flowering shrubs, it is best to use thinning will be able to re-establish a mul�-stemmed cuts to remove excess growth for op�mal shrub. Whenitbloomsthefollowingyear,the plant health. Remove only 1/3 of the stems, flowers will be at eye and nose level making star�ng with the furthest from the center and themeasiertoenjoy.Whenthinningthe thenproceedingtotheoldeststemsinthe suckers, leave the healthiest and avoid having middle. anycrossing branches. The goal is to create one Cutstemsaninchabovethesoilline,leaving beau�fully shaped shrub, keeping all suckers nd rd the2 or3 yeargrowthasthesebranches that comeupatadistancefromthemiddle,cut will produce blooms. With heading cuts, trim downtosoillevel. backanydamagedordiseasedbranches, openingtheshrubupsosunlightcanreachall EvergreensRequireLessPruning branches. The plant will respond with Perhapsreadingthat�tlewilltemptyouto renewedvigorbecausetherootswillnow growonlyevergreens,butrestassuredthat only supply nutrients to much fewer withoutpropermaintenancetheseslow- branches. The shrub will also put-up new growingshrubscans�lltakeoverasidewalk. growthfromthethinningnubsle�atground Toregainthesidewalk,pruneevergreen level. branchesbacktoasidebranch(athinningcut) Thecommonlilac(Syringavulgaris)for sothefoliagehidesthecut.Ifmul�plebranches example,isagoodexampleofasuckering are out of bounds your best op�on is what is shrub. If le� unpruned it can become a tree, called “the three-year method” of pruning. This with sparse blooms and many suckers at its base. The suckers will not bloom because the mothertreeprovidestoomuchshade. If the lilac has become a tree, there are two things you can do: • Removeallthesuckersandshapethe lilac as a shorter tree form • Remove1/3ofthesuckersandcut downthelilactreewithahandsaw 17