Stop Shearing Your Plants: Why Removing New Growth Can Hurt More Than Help
Stop Shearing Your Plants: Why Removing New Growth Can Hurt More Than Help
Shearing shrubs into tight balls, boxes, and lollipops might seem quick to tidy up your landscape, but this approach can do more harm than good over time. When you remove all the fresh new growth, you're stripping the plant of its most photosynthetically active leaves—the ones it relies on most for energy.
Let’s break down why this matters—and what to do instead.
Why New Growth Matters
New growth isn't just a sign your plant is healthy—it's the engine behind its ability to thrive.
New leaves = more photosynthesis
Young leaves are more efficient at converting sunlight into energy. They're rich in chlorophyll, highly active, and vital for fueling root growth, flower production, and general recovery.The plant is already invested.
When a plant pushes out new growth in spring, it uses stored energy from the previous season. If you shear that off, it has to dip even deeper into reserves to replace it—slowing recovery and stressing the plant.Old leaves don't pick up the slack.
Mature leaves aren't as efficient. Once the new, more productive growth is gone, what remains just can’t do the same work, especially during heat or drought.
The Problem with Shearing
Shearing is the act of evenly cutting back all outer growth, often with hedge trimmers. It’s fast but not smart.
What it does:
Removes all the plant’s newest, most productive leaves
Creates dense outer layers that shade out inner growth, leaving bare sticks inside the plant
Forces unnatural, repetitive regrowth that burns through energy stores
Increases long-term maintenance and reduces bloom potential (especially for flowering shrubs)
Better Alternatives: Natural Pruning
Instead of reaching for the trimmers, try selective hand pruning—a slower but much healthier technique.
How to do it:
Use sharp bypass pruners
Cut just above a node or branching point.
Focus on removing deadwood, crossing branches, or overly long shoots.
Thin rather than shear—open the canopy to light and airflow
This method preserves healthy new growth, encourages a natural shape, and helps the plant distribute energy more efficiently. Think layers, for dimension, rather than a “chop.”
Bonus Tip: Time It Right
If you must prune:
Wait until the spring flush has hardened off (new leaves have matured slightly)
Avoid heavy cuts during extreme heat or drought.
For flowering plants, prune after blooming unless you're intentionally shaping or rejuvenating.
In Summary
Shearing might look neat in the short term, but it often unnecessarily removes the plant’s most valuable foliage and stresses its energy system. A more thoughtful, natural pruning approach supports more substantial growth, healthier structure, and less maintenance over time.
Do you need help reviving overgrown shrubs or want a professional eye on your plant health? We’re happy to help you work with your plants, not against them.
