<< Juniper Shrubs in a Front Yard, bordered by a sidewalk that limits the expansion of the shrubs.

Due to constant power shaving, the shrubs have to increase in size to have any live growth. To keep the size in check, the shaving keeps only a minimal layer of fresh green growth.

Ultimately, the shrub is extremely stressed and will die.

Handpruning or selective branch pruning should have been done years ago to let light and moisture get at selected main branches.

<< A couple of Mugo Pine shrubs have been power pruned (shaved with a hedge trimmer). This approach to keeping Mugo Pines under control is often a ‘death sentence’ to them, since they don’t readily produce fresh growth when cut like that.

Handpruning selective branches to branching spots where fresh growth is possible can save Mugo Pines. It would also produce more beautifully structured ‘bonsai-style’ shrubs.

Under ‘Good Pruning’,
Check out examples of hand-pruning Mugo Pines and selecting some main branches that create interesting shapes.

<< Mature Fir Tree - always shaved and it shows -
thin layer of green on the outside of the tree and a total mess of intertwined week branches that are dead and dry on the inside of the tree

Japanese Maple - badly let go - power-shaved from time to time and a total mess of intertwined week branches that are dead and dry on the inside of the tree. This badly needs cleaning out and selecting main branches.

Mugo Pine shaved into a ‘bush’ --
to keep it ‘to size’, it was shaved tightly -
too tightly on one side and the result is
DYING BRANCHES - in short order it results in a dead Mugo Pine

Mature pines pruned in ‘Bonsai Style’ -
the tree at the left was pruned to ‘tightly’,
resulting in the Death of the Pine.