- 1). Dip the pruners in a sanitizing solution of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water.
- 2). Clip off dead, diseased or damaged branches. Cut off the branches at the base back to a healthy "Y" intersection. Dip the pruners into the sanitizing solution after each cut. Discard the bleach solution when all unhealthy and dead wood has been eliminated.
- 3). Step back and observe the shape of your shrub, finding low hanging branches that detract from its appearance. Determine how tall you want the shrub to be.
- 4). Clip back long branches to make the shrub a desirable height. Work one branch at a time using anvil pruners, and make the cuts at a 45-degree angle.
- 5). Remove wayward or low hanging branches that detract from the tree's appearance. Take off branches that compress other branches.
- 6). Thin out the shrub by removing up to 1/3 of the old branches.
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