How and when do I prune bushes and trees?

[HBogart]

When is the best time of year to prune trees and bushes and how should this be done? Or should I get specialist to do this? Help, please! All answers will be much appreciated.
1) Overgrown Laurel tree in a flower bed, the main trunk is only 1 foot from the fence. Approx dimensions: 12-14 feet high and very bushy. The height needs to be reduced by appox 5-6 feet. To the front it extends 6 feet from the trunk and is 3 feet over the lawn killing the grass, and needs to be cut back by 3 to 3 1/2 feet. Left to right it is 10-11 feet wide and needs to be cut back to approx 5-6 feet wide. How and when should I prune this Laurel?
2) 3 x Conifer trees (don't know the type, but NOT fast growing Leylandii). 2 are approx 16 feet tall and 1 is 11 feet tall. I want to reduce them all to approx 6 feet tall and reduce the width of the 16 feet ones to approx 3-4 feet. Do I just lop off the tops and use my electric hedge trimmer to reduce the width or are there any tips, hints or precautions I should take? What time of year should I do this? Thank you.

[Clanad]

It's difficult to generalize when discussing pruning requirements. Not only do many plants require pruning at differing times of the year, most experienced gardeners will have their own opinions based on their experience. In your two cases, though, although I live in the western U.S. and we do not have Laurels, friends in the southern U.S. that do have them tell me to prune any time you wish. They also say that if anyone finds a way of over pruining that will kill the tree to let them know. Apparently it's very hardy and difficult to damage. I would treat it as any other, though in planning removal of branches so as to enhance the visual qualities when it recovers.
As to the conifers... they experience most of their growth in the spring with a quiet period during the warmer months and some growth in the fall. Therefore, follow the time proven maxim of not pruining anything during its maximum new growth period. You could prune the evergreen in the summer months, but I would recommed pruning in the winter or even better, late winter or very early spring before the sap starts upward. Again, plan on visualizing what the tree will look like in a year or two...

Best of luck!

[EngTeach]

Hi,

I too live in US. I was having trouble finding someone who could handle pruning a 150mye old Copper Beech tree. I called my local Botanical Gardens and they wer extremely helpful. Perhaps a local organization like that could help you.