5 Tips on How to Prune Shrubs in Your Landscape

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Shrubs are an excellent addition to residential landscapes. With their short height – usually just 2 to 15 feet – and bushy appearance, they are perfect for flowerbeds.

Using just a few strategically planted shrubs, you can enhance your landscape to create a more attractive curb appeal.

But if you’re going to grow shrubs in your landscape, you’ll need to prune them on a regular basis. Otherwise, they’ll look messy and unkempt.

#1) Use a Clean, Sharp Blade

Whether you use a hedge trimmer, gardening scissors or a pair of pruning shears, always use a clean and sharp blade with pruning hedges.

If the blade is dull, it could tear your shrubs rather than cutting them. And if the blade is dirty, it will expose your shrubs to infection-causing germs.

#2) Cut at an Angle

A common mistake homeowners make when pruning shrubs is cutting the branches horizontally. While this sounds harmless, it causes additional stress through dehydration that can kill already weakened shrubs.

Instead of making horizontal cuts, make angled cuts at 45 degrees. Not only does this minimize stress; it encourages the branch to grow back in the angle in which you cut it.

#3) Start With Largest Branches

A good rule of thumb to follow when pruning shrubs is to start with the largest branches and work your way down to the smaller branches.

Cutting away just a few of the thickest branches may suffice, in which case there’s no need to remove any smaller branches.

So, start with the largest branches first. If the shrub still looks too large and unkempt, you can then remove some of the smaller branches.

#4) Cut Away No More Than One-Third of the Branches

Another rule to follow when pruning shrubs is to remove no more than one-third of the shrub’s branches. Over-pruning a shrub can have devastating consequences.

If you remove more than one-third of a shrub’s branches, it may struggle to grow back, eventually dying and forcing you to replace it with a new shrub.

#5) Prune Once or Twice a Year

Most shrubs should only be pruned once or twice a year: once in late spring and, if necessary, again in autumn. Keep an eye on your shrubs around these times of the year.

If you discover your shrubs look overgrown and unkempt, go ahead and prune them. By regularly pruning your shrubs once or twice a year, you’ll keep them looking uniform and healthy.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

The post 5 Tips on How to Prune Shrubs in Your Landscape appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

5 Tips on How to Use Rocks in Your Landscape

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If you’re looking to touch up your landscape, you should consider using rocks.

Adding the right rocks to the right areas will enhance the aesthetics of your home’s landscape while also protecting trees and plants from harm in the process.

So, how exactly can you use rocks in your landscape?

#1) Surround Trees

One idea is to surround trees with rocks. Granted, you shouldn’t surround all your trees with rocks. Rather, focus on the high-value trees in the middle of your landscape.

By placing a small ring around these trees, you’ll discourage weeds and other invasive plants from growing near them. Just remember to place enough rocks so that no bare soil or grass is exposed directly around your trees.

#2) Fill in Flowerbeds

In addition to surrounding trees, you can use rocks to fill flowerbeds.

Some homeowners assume that mulch is the only available solution to prevent weeds from growing in flowerbeds. While mulch certainly works for this purpose, rocks work just as well.

To use them, sprinkle a light layer of small rocks in your flowerbeds. You obviously don’t want to cover your flowers with rocks, but you should consider the soil surrounding your flowers with rocks.

#3) Build a Retaining Wall

Depending on the size of the rocks, you may be able to build a retaining wall with them. A retaining wall, of course, is a structure used to hold back the soil.

Retaining walls are useful because they protect against soil erosion and enhance your landscape’s aesthetics.

#4) Create a Perimeter Around Ponds

If you have a pond in your landscape, try arranging a circle of rocks around the perimeter of it.

Without a defined perimeter, the edges of your pond may erode. This usually doesn’t happen overnight. But over the course of several months or years, the soil may erode, resulting in a messy- and unkempt-looking pond.

You can prevent this from happening by defining the perimeter of your outdoor pond with rocks.

#5) Create a Walkway

Finally, you can use rocks to create a walkway through your landscape. Start by compacting and grading the soil. Next, arrange large stepping-stone rocks through this path. Once in place, you and your family can use this walkway to traverse your landscape.

These are just a few ways to use rocks in a landscape. Regardless of what you have planned, it’s important to choose the right type of rocks. Rainbow rocks, for example, are ideal for flowerbeds because of their varied colors and small size.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

The post 5 Tips on How to Use Rocks in Your Landscape appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.

Are Twig Girdlers to Blame for Your Fallen Oak Limbs?

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Many homeowners assume that fallen limbs and branches from their oak trees are the result of normal aging. When trees age, they have a tendency to lose some of their limbs.

However, another possible cause is twig girdlers. While twig girdlers were rampant during the early to mid-1990s, they are still found in countless landscapes throughout North America.

So, how do you know if twig girdlers are to blame for fallen oak limbs in your landscape?

What Are Twig Girdlers?

Twig girdlers are small longhorned beetles measuring just one-half to three-quarters of an inch long. Like other longhorned beetles, they have incredibly long antennas – usually measuring roughly the same length as their body.

You might be surprised to learn that adult twig girdlers are harmless to oak trees. Rather, it’s the larvae with which you should be aware.

As larvae, twig girdlers will feast on the organic matter within tree limbs and branches, working their way outward to the tips of the limbs and branches.

As these small but destructive beetles feast on a limb or branch, it creates a hollow interior while subsequently causing the limb or branch to drop.

How to Spot a Twig Girdler Infestation in Oak Trees

A telltale sign of a twig girdler infestation is the presence of fallen limbs and branches with a hollow interior. Don’t assume that all fallen limbs or branches are the result of an infestation.

Rather, you should only be concerned if the limbs or branches are hollow.

If an oak tree is infested with twig girdlers, you may also discover sloughing bark.

When trig girdlers begin to consume the organic matter within the tree’s limbs and branches, the tree will shed some of its bark due to increased stress.

Protecting Your Oak Trees From Twig Girdlers

There are a few steps you can take to protect your oak trees from twig girdlers, one of which is to remove the affected limbs or branches.

If you discover some limbs or branches on an oak tree that are hollow but haven’t fallen yet, cut them down. Allowing them to stay on your oak tree will only allow the twig girdlers to reproduce and spread elsewhere.

There are also insecticides available that can treat and prevent twig girdler infestations.

Talk to a professional arborist or landscaping company for more information on which insecticide product is right for your oak trees.

Keep in mind that twig girlders can affect other types of trees besides oak.

While oak trees are one of the most common species targeted by these destructive beetles, they will feast on other trees like poplar, dogwood, hackberry and more.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

The post Are Twig Girdlers to Blame for Your Fallen Oak Limbs? appeared first on Woodsman Tree Service.