Two of the most important practices you should perform when caring for your plants are trimming and pruning. But how often should your plants be trimmed and pruned? In Iowa, there are a lot of plants that grow at different rates. That means each plant requires a different approach to ensure they are well maintained throughout the entire year. Trimming them is like cutting their hair, and so you should aim to trim them when they start to look messy and unkempt. Pruning, however, is performed for health reasons and shouldn’t be done as often because you don’t want to end up accidentally harming your plants. Determining when to properly trim and prune them can sometimes be difficult, so you should hire a professional to do the job. This will ensure your plants are receiving the best care possible and will be kept healthy as they continue to grow.

When should you trim your plants?

Professional trimming shrub in landscape bed in Des Moines, IA.

There isn’t a set schedule you need to follow to trim your plants. Each tree or shrub grows at different rates, so they need to be attended to differently throughout the year. Since trimming is for aesthetic purposes, you want to monitor each plant closely to see when they begin looking wild and unruly. Once they do, set some time aside to clean them up. By regularly trimming your plants, you will end up keeping your property looking well maintained.

Keep your property safe by regularly trimming trees that are close to power lines and buildings!

When should you prune your plants?

Pruning is done for health reasons and should be performed far less often than trimming. When pruning, only cut branches that look diseased or dead to prevent any infection from spreading to the rest of your tree or shrub. Outside of any major diseases infecting your trees or shrubs, the type of plant you have will determine when you should prune them. Some plants prefer to be pruned in the spring while others may prefer winter or another time of year. For example, the Japanese spirea is a shrub that blooms in the summer that needs to be pruned in late winter or early spring. Understanding when the best time to prune your plants is key to making sure they remain healthy.

It's best to hire a professional to trim and prune your plants.

Our landscaping professional trimming a hedge behind a home in Altoona, IA.

Knowing when and how often to trim and prune your plants ensures they remain well maintained and healthy, which is why it's best to hire a professional to help care for them. Pruning your plants at the wrong time can be detrimental to your plant's health—you risk harming your plant or making it more susceptible to diseases and pests. You also want to avoid trimming your plants too much because you can also end up stressing out or harming your plant. A professional will know exactly when your plants need to be trimmed and pruned and will make sure that they don't cause any harm to your plants during the process.

Are your plants in need of a fresh cut? Give us a call today to sign up for our trimming and pruning service!

At A+ Lawn & Landscape, we understand that every plant has different wants and needs. Our team of experts will regularly trim your plants while also determining if/when they should be pruned to stay healthy. We offer routine trimming and pruning services to commercial and residential properties in the Des Moines, IA area, including surrounding cities like West Des Moines and Ankeny. Call us today at (515) 289-2020 to schedule our trimming and pruning service! We look forward to working with you!