Can I Still Prune Privet in the Spring?

Q. I have mature Texas Privets that I neglected to prune back during the winter. They are now sprouting out new growth. If I trim them back now, will that prevent future new growth this year?

Japanese privet, like the Japanese Blueberry, it comes from the great Japanese desert (joke). Avoid planting it here unless its on the cool side of a landscape AND the soil covered in woodchips. Always use compost when planting it.

A. No, it won’t. You can prune now without any problems. What I worry about when it gets hot is sunburn. Now it's not a problem.

This is what it does when you plant it in rock after a few years.

There is plenty of stored nutrition inside the larger stems for future growth. Japanese privets are versatile plants in the landscape and used either as small trees, shrubs or grown as a hedge. You didn’t say how you are using your plants.

Privet used as a hedgerow (hedge) for privacy.

            If you are using Japanese privet as a formal hedgerow then pruning with a hedge shears is appropriate. Pruning plants with a hedge shears is not appropriate for any other type of pruning.

            Hedgerows are created by spacing plants slightly closer than their mature height. When pruning plants as a formal hedge, the top of the hedge should be pruned slightly narrower than the bottom of the hedge. Informal hedgerows are not pruned with a hedge shears but a hand shears, a.k.a. hand pruners. Informal pruning is best left to the commercial experts.

            When pruning with a hand pruners or loppers, pruning cuts are made deep inside the plant canopy removing only a few of the larger stems to reestablish their size.