When and how should you prune each plant? The complete guide
By Hovenier Hoofddorp · Updated July 19, 2026
The golden rule: spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after flowering, summer-flowering shrubs in February–March, and never remove more than a third of a plant at once. Most "pruning disasters" are about the wrong moment, not the wrong technique — prune at the right time and little can go wrong.
Hydrangeas: the most common pruning mistake
- Mophead/lacecap (Hydrangea macrophylla): flowers on old wood. Only remove spent flowerheads and dead stems in March, just above the first fat pair of buds. Cut it back hard and you lose a whole year of flowers — the classic error.
- Panicle hydrangea and 'Annabelle': flower on new wood — cut back hard to 30–50 cm in February–March; harder pruning means bigger plumes.
- Climbing hydrangea: barely needs pruning; tidy wayward shoots after flowering.
Roses, lavender, clematis and fruit trees
| Plant | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| Roses | Late Feb–March (when forsythia flowers) | Shrub roses to 3–5 buds; deadhead in summer |
| Lavender | After flowering + shape in March | Never into bare old wood — it will not regrow |
| Clematis (summer-flowering) | Feb–March | Hard, to 30–50 cm; spring-flowering types only lightly after bloom |
| Apple & pear | Dec–March | Open crown, remove crossing branches and watershoots |
| Cherry & plum | Summer, after harvest | Winter pruning risks silver leaf disease |
| Conifers | June & September | Only in green growth — bare wood (except yew) never re-shoots |
Check shrubs and hedges for nests before pruning: disturbing breeding birds (15 March – 15 July) is illegal in the Netherlands.
The five pruning mistakes to avoid
- Too much at once: never more than a third; rejuvenate neglected shrubs over two to three years.
- Blunt tools: ragged wounds invite disease.
- Pruning in frost: frozen wood tears and heals poorly.
- Leaving stubs: cut just above a bud or side branch — stubs die back and rot inward.
- Shearing mophead hydrangeas and spring bloomers in spring — you are cutting off the flower buds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my hydrangea stop flowering after pruning?
Almost certainly a mophead hydrangea cut back in spring: it flowers on last year's wood, so the buds went in the green bin. It recovers by itself — next year only remove the spent heads above the first fat bud pair.
Can I cut back a completely overgrown shrub in one go?
Robust species (privet, laurel, yew, most deciduous shrubs) tolerate hard rejuvenation. Safer is thirds: remove a third of the oldest stems at the base each year for three years. Conifers other than yew cannot be cut into bare wood at all.
What does professional pruning cost?
Pruning falls under our hourly rate of €40–€55 including green waste removal; mature trees are quoted per tree (€150–€500). A maintenance subscription includes all yearly pruning at the right moments — no missed windows, no lost flowering.
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