Pruning

Pruning is both an art and a science. We take great pride in our pruning services, but only when we can do it in a way that prioritizes plant health and longevity. There will always be a professional on-site to ensure the highest standards are met. While you may find someone faster or cheaper, our focus is on expertise, precision, and care in every cut we make.

Types of Pruning We Offer:

Plants often require pruning for multiple reasons, such as renovation, training, and health improvement. Our pruning services are designed to meet the specific needs of each plant, ensuring it thrives for years to come.

Pruning to Improve Plant Health

Dead and damaged branches create entry points for pests and disease, we keep plants healthy by removing these problem areas as needed. Even naturalized plants in wooded areas can benefit from selective pruning to improve airflow, reduce disease risk, and enhance overall health.

Pruning to Train Growth

We expertly train shrubs and trees up to 20 feet tall to enhance their natural form and encourage strong, healthy growth. This may include establishing a central leader on a maple or arborvitae, removing excessive branching on a viburnum or lilac, or shaping espalier apple trees and camellias. Using bypass hand pruners, hand saws, loppers, and an orchard ladder when needed, we ensure every cut is precise. We avoid using pole pruners or pole saws, as they make accurate cuts difficult.

Shearing for Shape and Size Maintenance

We shear small-leafed plants like boxwoods and Japanese hollies to maintain their shape and size. Our shearing process also includes light thinning to promote healthy growth within the canopy. We primarily use large hand shears, small hand shears, and bypass pruners, occasionally supplementing with battery-powered shears, followed by manual finishing for precision. Our extensive experience includes shearing countless boxwoods in Biltmore Forest, where we’ve perfected the art of maintaining elegant, well-shaped landscapes.

Pruning to Reduce Size (Renovation Pruning)

We expertly renovate overgrown shrubs and trees up to 20 feet tall. We strategically remove branches throughout the plant to encourage balanced regrowth, ensuring a healthier, more attractive plant for years to come. We have extensive experience renovating shrubs such as hollies, rhododendrons, and mountain laurels. Our tools include bypass hand pruners, hand saws, loppers, and an orchard ladder when needed, always prioritizing precision and plant health.

Pruning to Promote Quality of Fruit or Flower

Proper pruning enhances the quality of flowers and fruit. For example, we prune hydrangeas by removing spent blooms in late winter to encourage abundant flowering. When pruning fruit trees like apples, we remove undesired epicormic growth to improve fruit quality while also shaping the tree by eliminating crossing branches and other undesirable structures. Our primary tools for this type of pruning include bypass hand pruners, loppers, and hand saws.

Our commitment to using the right tools, techniques, and methods reflects our dedication to delivering exceptional pruning services tailored to each plant’s needs.