Shrub & Hedge Trimming

It depends on the plant. Spring-blooming shrubs like azaleas and forsythia should be trimmed right after they finish flowering, not in fall or winter, or you'll cut off next year's buds. Evergreen hedges like boxwood or holly can be shaped in late winter before spring growth starts, with a light touch-up trim in summer if needed. We identify what's in your yard before scheduling so timing works with the plant, not against it.

We don't top crepe myrtles by cutting the main trunks down to stubs every winter — that's the "crepe murder" pattern you'll see all over this region, and it weakens the tree and produces weak, whip-thin regrowth instead of natural canopy branching. Instead we selectively remove crossing branches, suckers, and spent seed heads to maintain a healthy natural shape, which takes more skill but keeps the tree strong for years.

Fast growers like ligustrum or photinia in North Texas's long growing season often need trimming every 6-8 weeks during spring and summer to hold a clean line. Slower growers like boxwood might only need shaping two to three times a year. We'll recommend a schedule once we see what's actually planted and how fast it's growing on your property.

We check for common signs during every visit — dieback, discoloration, fungal spotting, or pest damage — and will flag anything that looks like disease rather than just overgrowth. Some problems (like certain fungal issues) can spread between plants on trimming tools if they're not cleaned between cuts, so we take that into account when we spot something that looks off.