Shrub trimming: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What shrub trimming is

Shrub trimming prunes individual shrubs to control size, remove dead or crossing branches and shape the growth, using proper cuts and timing. People hire it when shrubs have outgrown their spot, stopped flowering, or look messy along walks and windows.

Signs you need it

  • Shrubs are blocking windows, doorways, walks or the view from the house
  • Flowering has dropped off, or the shrub blooms only at the top
  • Dead, broken or rubbing branches are visible in the middle of the plant
  • The shrub is leggy and open at the base, with growth bunched at the tips
  • The shrub has grown far past the space you planted it in and needs to be held back

What the pro does

  • The crew identifies each shrub and its bloom habit, since flowering on old wood and new wood calls for different timing
  • Dead, damaged and crossing branches are removed first, cut back to healthy wood
  • Thinning cuts open the center so light and air can reach the inner branches
  • Long shoots are cut back to a bud or branch junction so the new growth grows out from the cut
  • Clippings are raked and removed, and the shrub is checked for the shape it should keep

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Number of shrubs and their size
  • Species, since some are pruned only after blooming and others can be cut any time
  • Whether the job is light shaping or heavy renovation of an overgrown shrub
  • Access, such as a shrub tucked against a wall or a tall shrub that needs a ladder
  • Amount of cleanup and hauling of the trimmings
  • Number of visits planned during the season
  • Whether shrubs that need removal are included or quoted separately

What a written quote should spell out

  • The shrubs covered and the work planned for each one
  • Whether the job is shaping, thinning, renovation or removal of dead wood
  • The timing, including whether the shrub will flower the following season
  • How the cuttings are removed, and whether hauling is included
  • Who handles any ladder work and what safety measures are used
  • Any care advice for after the pruning, such as watering or mulch

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What is the shrub, and does it bloom on old wood or new wood?
  • What timing do you use, and will it affect the flowers next season?
  • Will you cut the shrub back hard, and will it regrow?
  • Do you thin the center, or only trim the outside?
  • How do you handle dead or diseased branches, and do you disinfect the tools between plants?
  • Do you haul the clippings, or leave them for me to bag?
  • Are you working from a ladder, and what protects the house and the walkway?

Red flags

  • They shear every shrub into the same ball shape regardless of the species
  • They cut a spring-blooming shrub in late winter or early spring, which removes the flowers
  • They cut the shrub hard into old wood without saying it may not regrow
  • They prune diseased branches and do not clean the tools between shrubs
  • They leave cut branches under the shrub or on the walk

What you can do yourself

A homeowner can remove dead branches and thin small shrubs with hand pruners and loppers, cutting back to healthy wood or a side branch. Call a pro for tall shrubs that need a ladder, for shrubs near power lines, or for heavy renovation of overgrown plants. Make clean cuts, and keep your fingers and face away from branches that are under tension.

Licenses and permits

Shrub trimming is commonly not licensed; large-scale pruning that involves tree-like work or power lines may need licensed tree work in some areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency if the crew works at height or near utilities.

Shrub trimming questions

When should I prune a flowering shrub?

It depends on whether the shrub flowers on old wood or new wood. Pruning at the wrong time can remove the flower buds. Ask the crew which group your shrub is in, and when they plan to cut it.

Will a hard cut kill my shrub?

Some shrubs regrow well from old wood and some do not. Ask the crew whether the species will resprout, and whether they will cut it in stages so it does not lose all its growth at once.

What are thinning cuts?

Thinning cuts remove a whole branch back to where it joins another branch or the base. They open the center of the shrub to light and air. Ask the crew to show you where they are making those cuts.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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