Customer Testimonials
“Let me say that Vassar's association with SavATree has been very positive and we are achieving great success in managing our campus trees in terms of safety and aesthetics. And our insurance carrier is quite pleased with this effort. Vassar is pleased with SavATree and the work being performed on campus.”
Jeffrey C. Horst, Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY
“Your tree crew (a father and two sons) just finished removing two trees, and pruning another on my property. They were extremely neat and professional, making sure that everything was they way they found it. I could not be more satisfied. I definitely plan on using your company for any future tree work on my property, and will also heartily recommend you to anyone I know needing your services.”
J. Andersen
Danbury, CT
“Efficient, high quality, professional competence — all at a competitive sum. At first [Alison] Pottage won me over by her solid knowledge as an arborist, then the crew did their job to her specifications on our 60 to 70 foot oaks within a remarkable period of time -- and left the grounds quite clean.”
Bob Busser
Philadelphia, PA
Click here to read all testimonials“You take on a job, call it a problem, gigantic or small, and you go to it. True Professionals. I am at peace for having found SavATree. Sometimes bills are paid grudgingly. I pay with respect to a company whose pride lives up to its logo. It’s love of what you do and I thank you.”
Sam Fink
Great Neck, NY
When Is The Best Time for Pruning Shrubs?
Generally, the best time for pruning shrubs is when they begin to look untidy; however, shrub pruning is ideally performed between late spring and late summer. The exception to this, is flowering shrubs, since timing has a crucial effect on the amount of flowers they will produce. Therefore, flowering shrubs should be pruned shortly after blooming but before buds are set in July:
Shrub Trimming Techniques
Before you begin pruning shrubs, it's important to consider the type of pruning which will achieve an end result that is both beneficial to the health of the shrub and aesthetically pleasing to you. In order to achieve the most beneficial results, carefully consider the following shrub trimming techniques:
Thinning
In this shrub trimming technique, branches are selectively removed at the base to open up the crown, maximize light penetration and prevent the shrub from growing too large for its surroundings. This type of shrub pruning is also performed to emphasize the larger stems and trunks if you are training your shrub to look like a small tree.
Heading Back
Branches are "headed" or cut back to the point where they are attached to another outward facing branch or bud. If you like your shrubs to have a formal look, trim back the new shoots by half in early summer to stimulate branching at the base. Then, in the fall, trim all new growth back by half again and begin shaping the shrub by tapering the sides and making the top flat or rounded.
For a more natural, less manicured shape, reduce the main shoots by a third in the second winter. Next, since different species of shrubs require different degrees of maintenance pruning, consult your arborist around midsummer to confirm the type of pruning which would be most beneficial to your particular shrubs.
TIP: Never shear shrubs - it causes dense growth to form at the branch tips in addition to creating an unnatural form - unless you are creating a hedge or sculptured form.
Be careful not to get overzealous; shrub pruning can be done to excess, resulting in a loss of flowers and fruit formation. Prune only when there is a definite reason. By thinning out the oldest branches, heading back tall, leggy stems and cleaning up unproductive or dead wood, most shrubs can be maintained at the proper height and spread for many years.
Click or call today to arrange a complimentary consultation from our fully trained and certified arborists for tree care, tree pruning and lawn care services from SavATree. Click here to contact the office nearest you.
SavATree provides shrub care in the following areas: