The weather is perfect today! The temperature is in the mid-twenties, with a light breeze and a few clouds. It's perfect gardening weather, and it's the perfect time to prune your evergreens!
They should be pruned when the new foliage has developed but hasn't yet matured or hardened. Pruning now will result in a denser, more compact plant or tree.
Right now the new growth on pines and spruces is so "soft" that you could prune them with your fingers. I do this sometimes, but today I pruned them with my garden shears. This tool allows me to create a more defined shape quickly.
Annually, I lightly prune my Mugo Pines into a mushroom cap shape. When the plants are young, I prune my Colorado Blue, Norway and White Spruce in a loose pyramidal shape. Once they grow beyond my reach, I don't prune them. Dwarf spruces (such as Dwarf Alberta and Nest Spruce) grow so slowly that they rarely need pruning. I give them a little clipping here and there to keep them in shape, but no major pruning is required. My broadleaf evergreens are also pruned at this time of year. Boxwood can be pruned into any shape you desire, using garden shears or secateurs. Same goes for euonymus - but, personally, I prefer to keep them as natural as possible (not too manicured). Cedar hedges can be pruned multiple times per season starting now. The final pruning should be done mid-August.
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