Evergreen shrubs are key components of the landscape, and to look their best, they will occasionally need maintenance pruning. Larger, older overgrown plants call for major pruning. Exact pruning techniques vary with species and even cultivars within species, but following guidelines helps plan pruning schedules for 2025.

Regular pruning helps maintain shape and growth habit. You will achieve optimum results when pruning after the new flush of growth in late spring, not now. Properly placed evergreens primarily need maintenance pruning to maintain shape and growth habit, with frequency based on the appearance of the shrubs. Odds are pruning will not be necessary each year. If an overgrown evergreen shrub happens to greet you every morning while bringing in your paper, there is a good chance you can correct this issue through major pruning in the coming months.

Yews are the easiest and most forgiving evergreen shrub species to prune. If you have a large overgrown yew, do not be afraid to cut it back considerably. Look closely and you will see small green shoots deep inside the canopy along trunks and major limbs. Major pruning done to trunks and limbs of yews should allow some small shoots to remain after cutting, as they will develop into twigs and branches later. Yews can also be shaped with regular pruning. April is a suitable time for pruning on yews.

Junipers present more of a pruning challenge. Look inside upright or shrub junipers and notice all the brown interior needles. Books often refer to this as the dead zone. When pruning, stop shy of this area, leaving enough green shoots to grow and quickly cover any brown showing. Cut all the way into the brown and the shrub may not recover. As with yews, April is prime time to address overgrown junipers.

Arborvitae pruning is usually more for minor shaping than major downsizing. Like junipers, arborvitae oftentimes develop interior brown zones. Prune them as described for junipers. Pay close attention to the cultivar, as there is considerable variation in growth habit or form among arborvitae cultivars that you need to maintain.

Finally, mugo pines are a common evergreen shrub in Wisconsin landscapes. Pines should ideally be pruned only after the new growth, called candles, elongate. Typically, this is in late May or early June, depending on where you are in Wisconsin. Carefully cut or snap the candle back; the more taken off, the more compact future growth will be. Do not remove terminal buds on pines in spring; be sure to wait until the candles elongate later. Mugo pines that have become overgrown are difficult to correct through pruning.