Kathryn Weber Real Estate Associate

A little mid-summer trimming can go a long way.

By July, many plants have put on a lot of new growth. Lightly trimming overgrown branches and removing any dead or damaged stems helps improve air circulation, which can reduce the risk of fungal diseases during hot, humid weather.

This is also a good time to tidy up:

• Boxwoods and other evergreen shrubs to maintain their shape. Avoid cutting back into old wood.

• Spent perennial flowers like salvia, catmint, and coreopsis to encourage another round of blooms.

• Dead or crossing branches on shrubs to improve airflow and keep plants healthy.

One thing to avoid: don't heavily prune spring-flowering shrubs like lilacs, azaleas, or rhododendrons in July. They've already started setting next year's flower buds, so heavy pruning now could mean fewer blooms next spring.