Pruning Tips: What to Trim This Month.

By Guest Blogger Rick Smith, The Pruning Guru, Inc. 

Hello, Pruners!

I would like to give you some tips for March pruning, beginning with Crape Myrtles. I will begin by telling you that you do not have to prune a Crape Myrtle at all. They are normally pruned for aesthetics.

Have you heard the phrase CRAPE MURDER? That is the term used when you lower the height of a Crape Myrtle by one-half or two-thirds of its existing size. This is unacceptable in the field of horticulture. If you see this done by a homeowner or a landscaper, all you can do is hold your head down and walk away.

Wondering what you can prune this month? Try roses, buddleias (“butterfly bushes”) and grasses such as Miscanthus and Pampas. And be sure to cut back perennials that have died over the winter. 

 Stay tuned for more pruning tips in the coming months!