How to Prune Arborvitae

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If you've purchased a new home, it probably came with arborvitae. These common landscape plants are easily cared for, but should be pruned annually to keep them under control. The information on this page will help you learn how to prune arborvitae.
Introduction
- Arborvitae are a fast growing evergreen shrub. Pruning an arborvitae successfully requires determining the shape you'd like the plant to maintain, and trimming it carefully each year in the fall.
Step 1: Understand Arborvitae
- Arborvitae are a common foundation planting. Builders like them because they grow quickly, so they are commonly used to landscape new homes. This tendency to rapid growth, along with their placement need homes, mean that they will generally need an annual pruning to keep them from taking over the house.
Step 2: When to Prune Arborvitae
- Arborvitae are best pruned in the fall or early winter. While pruning in the spring or summer won't hurt the plant, the tips have a tendency to brown if pruned in warm weather.
Step 3: How to Prune Arborvitae
- Although you will sometimes see arborvitae shaped with flat tops, this is not the best shape for the plant. The best shape for an arborvitae is a rounded or pointed top, with curved sides, such that the base is wider than the top. This shape allows light to reach all the plant's leaves.