How to Hand Prune Your Shrubs // It's Faster, Cheaper, and Healthier than using a Hedge Trimmer!

[@algardner2391]

I try to push the appearance of softer and more natural finishes rather than rigid structures in my finishes. Hand pruning is a wonderful skill that helps achieve that.

[@biggus6633]

Such a great video! I love pruning plants. I work in park and I always try to train my guys how to prune plants like how you do. I will refer this video to them. Please to more pruning videos. I love your content.

[@coltonslawncare]

I think it is much cheaper to trim by hand and for some plants like wisteria. but the hedge trimmer is best for that kind of plant if you have sharp blades, more power like a gas unit, and more experience. also, you were cutting down so you scalp more cut up for less scalping.

[@ballerina6179]

I have a question. What if you already caused the hydra effect? Trimming only the middle stem still leaves the long leggy sides. Also what about the very long leggy branches that go down to the crown? Do you cut them at the base? If I just cut them shorter then I get the hydra… My shrubs are very overgrown (weigela, inkberry, dappled willow). I trimmed them and they over grew.

[@Leaflimb]

The best approach is to remove as many long, leggy branches as you want using Felcos. You should cut them back to the point of origination. Theoretically, this will leave another branch on that same stem in place, and it will become the apically dominant plant, which will reduce the hydra effect. You may need to do this across multiple seasons. There is a lot more of technical biology I could include here, but the long story made very short is that if you use Felcos and prune the leggy branches at their point of origination this should solve the issue you describe

[@theominouscricket2804]

Definitely cheaper and more healthy. Definitely NOT faster. I would have to charge much more to hand prune 300 feet of hedges.

[@Leaflimb]

I think you are generally right if we compare on a per-job basis. But what about across an entire year? Typically with hand pruning we only need to prune once per year or two. With hedge trimmers we have to prune multiple times per year

[@CO2isfake]

You likely need to thin it from the inside as well.