Regular pruning program

[grassmasterswilson]

Any good sites or books to help with when to prune properly? I'm in north Carolina do timing may be different where you are.

I usually do pruning per request but I'm thinking about adding an upswell program to prune shrubs when they need it. Maybe a quarterly program?

Any resources or thoughts?
Posted via Mobile Device

[PerfectEarth]

"The Pruning Bible"

AWESOME, AWESOME book- great illustrations to tell you where to cut and when...

http://www.amazon.com/Pruners-Bible-...+pruning+bible

[Coffeecraver]

This site will help you.

http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/treecareinfo.aspx

Good Luck

[Dimples82]

Originally Posted by Coffeecraver

This site will help you.

http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/treecareinfo.aspx

Good Luck

Excellent website!!

[grassmasterswilson]

Any care to discuss your terms of service on year round pruning programs? I wa thinking a spring and fall visit to prune after blooms and the 1-2 visits in between for "as needed" service

I am trying to get a good grasp on plant id and what/when/how the best way to prune. I hope to add this service and become more of a full service company.
Posted via Mobile Device

[lukemelo216]

We usually really only prune for our maintenance customer but sometimes we do prunings only. If its a maintenance customer we will price it accordingly to just handle it throughout the year. Spring flowering shrubs eill ge pruned after they flower and then just prune as needed throughout the season to removr broken branches, dead branches, shoots and suckers etc. In the fall we will prune our summer flowering shrubs. The visits that your talking aboit are usually just addressed weekly when the maintebance crew is there.
Posted via Mobile Device

[grassmasterswilson]

For those who do this. Do you find that a once ober the landscape in spring and fall then a few "as needed" for shoots and suckers is enough? I may add a winter tree visit for dead or crossing branches on small trees.

So I would figure 2 complete prunings, one tree prune, then factor in 2-3 smaller as needed visits into my estimate.

I also feel that I need to be clear in what the customer can expect. I fear I would get the person that expects me to come every 2 weeks when a shrub is slightly out of shape.
Posted via Mobile Device

[lukemelo216]

I should explain a little better. When we develope maintenance quoyes for our customers we are doing everything and dont let them worry about it. Pruning is always occuring because over the week branches can break or a disease can develop etc. However once per year on all the shrubs we will prune all shrubs. Spring flowering shrubs get pruned in the spring and then summer flowering shrubs in the fall. Anything that flowers late in the year (potentilla, summer sweet, etc) wr will dormant prune either in the winter or very early spring. However throughout the season we lightly prune these to keep them looking good which may mean every 2 weeks. The renewal pruning just occurs once. Noe in addition as we develop maintenance programs we evauluate our customers landscapes and incorporate dormant pruning where we will do rejuvination and hair cut pruning every few years.

Now formal shrubs (yews boxwood juniper) get sheered throughout the season and that may mean 2 times or 5 times.

We do a lot of high end residential maintenance and as i said they juat want us to handle thingas and not worry about it. On a stop we dont do a mow trim blow. Its mow trim full detail each week (sometimes full detail 2xs per week depending on the custimer. Meaning pull weeds edge prune and sheer anything. Water pick up leafs apply fertilizers insecticides replace dead sod or grass seed you name it.
Posted via Mobile Device

[grassmasterswilson]

Thanks luke

I am just trying to see from experienced guys what their customers are expecting in a pruning program. In my area it would be a very basic program. I doubt anyone would be willing to pay an additional price for a detailed program like yours. High end here would be a $400-500k house on 1/2 acre lot.

So I think I can sell a spring and fall full prune and maybe 1-2 visits in between for fast growing shrubs. Just wondering what others are doing.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Smallaxe]

I typically do it once a year for deciduous bushes and trees, an once a year for evergreen trees and bushes,,, just different times of the year and ONLY for specific reasons... not a lot of people will spend a dime for "Perfectly Manicured" look because the season is so short it doesn't have time to do much...