You can cut back into wood that is a year or 2 old, and.

Oct 08, The tops of arborvitae trees are often cut off when the height becomes problematic, or people want to prune the tree into a hedge. Removing the top creates a very flat appearance since the shrub will no longer grow upwards after the central leader is removed. Avoid taking the top off when trimming arborvitae if you are only thinning your shrubclean.bar: Jeffrey Douglas.

Previous owners may not have maintained the plant well and a makeover is required. New arborvitae owners can reshape the plants in a few seasons by understanding how they grow, when to cut the plans and how to prune correctly. Arborvitae Pruning Tips.

A little goes a long way! Remember not to remove more than % of the foliage or cut back beyond the last foot or so of a branch, if you want to see regrowth. The best time to prune an arborvitae depends on why you are pruning. Oct 02, Step 1 - Choose the Proper Season Prune arborvitae to reduce height in the late winter, before the sap rises in the main trunk.

To thin out overgrowth, prune in mid-summer, so new growth can take hold before the tree goes dormant for winter. Prune down to ground level in the early spring, before flowering and budding. Dec 10, Large, lopsided branches can be cut to an outward-facing bud, which will grow to take their place. Cutting the tops of arborvitae trees is sometimes better than cutting.

Trim your overgrown arborvitae in the spring before new green growth appears, but after the last hard frost occurs in your region.

Step 2 Cut away dead, discolored or diseased foliage, plus twigs and small branches from the interior and perimeter of the tree or shrub. Compost or discard the clippings. Dec 15, Because arborvitaes grow continuously during the growing season, you can prune them at any time through mid-summer. Topping arborvitaes, however, negatively affects the trees'.

Aug 16, Many gardeners prune their arborvitae hedges twice a year, usually most heavily in early summer, clearing up any winter damage and cutting into the green growth (never cut into the brown, woody part of arborvitae: there are no dormant buds on old wood and that will leave an ugly gap that may never close!) to shape the hedge correctly.