To trim your topiary plant, avoid using long-bladed hedge trimmers or hedge shears, which might not allow you to cut properly from various angles. I use a sharp pair of bypass hand pruners or handheld clipping shears to trim back the new growth to desired length. Start trimming your topiary plant from the top down.

Also asked, when should you trim topiary?

Trimming young, sappy growth in the spring is likely to bruise the foliage, leaving you with a topiary shape that is unsightly. It is best to prune in mid-June, when the leaves are hard and leathery, and again in late summer if necessary.

Subsequently, question is, how do you take care of a topiary? Water wisely. Water topiary to keep it evenly moist. For best results, place the plant in a sink and water thoroughly, let drain, and move back to its growing location. Never let them sit in a saucer of water, and never let them completely dry out.

People also ask, how do you cut a bush into a ball shape?

  1. Lay a cloth measuring tape on a flat surface.
  2. Cut a piece of baling wire with wire cutters to the size plus 1/2 inch.
  3. Hold the circle next to your bush with the top where you want the top of the ball to be.
  4. Press the legs into the ground with the circle on one side of the bush.

What are the best plants for topiary?

Plants like the holly, laurel, boxwood, and privet possess these attributes and are excellent choices for topiary. The most popular amongst these choices is the boxwood. This is especially true for varieties such as the “Morris Dwarf” which keeps its compact shape even if it isn't trimmed.

Related Question Answers

How do you trim a plant?

Steps
  1. Use sharp scissors or garden shears. Make sure the scissors or garden shears are very sharp, as dull shears can damage the plants.
  2. Prune the plants at the beginning of their growing season.
  3. Remove dead leaves and limbs at a 45 degree angle.
  4. Trim off any dead flowers.

How far back can you trim boxwoods?

They can range from one to two feet high to ten feet high. Depending on the size and shape of your frame, you may need more than one plant to fill the form. The best time to trim boxwoods used in topiaries is in the spring before new growth begins.

What is topiary pruning?

Topiary is the term used to describe the pruning of plants to create bold shapes that have been popular since Roman times. Keep topiary plants looking good with a spring mulch and feed in moderation – too much means lots more growth to trim. Discover how to trim topiary, here a topiary spiral, below.

Do topiary trees need sunlight?

Sun. Topiaries are for outdoor use only, preferring full to partial sun, and requiring a minimum of 4-5 hours of direct sunlight each day. Plants will defoliate if brought inside or planted in the shade.

What is cloud pruning?

Cloud pruning is a Japanese method of training trees and shrubs into shapes resembling clouds. It is known as ‘Niwaki', the translation of which is ‘garden tree'.

When should hydrangeas be pruned?

In late winter or early spring, these shrubs can be cut all the way back to the ground. Smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year, but many gardeners opt for smaller blooms on sturdier stems. To reduce flopping, leave a framework of old growth.

How do you trim a tree round?

Trim the branches of a round shrub back by one-third to encourage branching to thicken spindly growth, shorten the plant or to promote a new round of flowering. Cut the top and sides of the plant so they are domed. Follow branches down to where they join a main stem.

What is tree shaping called?

Topiary is the horticultural practice of shaping live trees, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees and shrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, often geometric or fanciful. The hedge is a simple form of topiary used to create boundaries, walls or screens.

What is it called when you trim bushes into shapes?

Topiary is the horticultural practice of training perennial plants by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, whether geometric or fanciful. The term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way.

When should bushes be trimmed?

Cut back shrubs grown primarily for their foliage, such as barberry and burning bush, almost anytime except in late autumn. New growth that starts after late-season pruning won't harden off properly before winter. If you want to do major pruning, it's best to cut the shrub back when it is dormant in winter.

When should overgrown bushes be trimmed?

Pruning in the late spring or early summer is not recommended because cutting off new growths can cause damage to the plant. Bushes and shrubs should ideally be pruned every year. However, gardeners should take a three year approach to cutting back overgrown bushes and shrubs before pruning the entire plant annually.

How do I prune an overgrown bush?

How do you prune an overgrown shrub?
  1. Use sharp pruners.
  2. Avoid pruning in summer heat or in late fall.
  3. Always remove branches that cross or are damaged or diseased.
  4. Take breaks and examine your work from all sides to make sure you are working evenly and creating a pleasing shape.