They are also only slightly more precise. I know more time is involved in carefully pruning as opposed to running the shears along the side of the driveway or sidewalk cutting everything that's either green or woody, says Jerry Goodspeed, Utah State University Extension horticulturist. But please, do not succumb to the temptation. Most evergreen shrubs are not meant to be pruned in the shape of a half moon with one side flat and the rest of the plant left natural, he says.
Many gardeners can t make up their mind between a formal hedge and a natural shrub.
One side is pruned flat and formal, the other side is left to grow and flourish on its own. This is not natural and can even be classified as cruel and unusual punishment, Goodspeed says. The cruel part being how the plant looks, the unusual punishment being what neighbors are forced to view. The most important thing to remember when pruning evergreens is the timing, he explains. All evergreens need to be pruned when the plant is actively growing.