Anadalia asked me the following about pruning:
Someone just told me that the best time to prune is December. Is this true?
Also, I hear different things, is it better to prune from the inside out or the
outside in?
Each plant, shrub or tree, that you prune has a different season to be pruned, depending on the flowering time of the plant. For most plants, the ideal time to prune is late fall after leaves drop and the plant is dormant, or late winter/early spring just before new growth resumes. That being said, if the plant has dead, diseased, or damaged branches, these parts of the plant can be pruned out at any time of the year.
You ask about pruning from the “inside out or the outside in” What do you want to achieve by pruning? Do you want to shorten branches, or create a hedgelike effect, or to thin out a shrub or to create a special effect, etc.? The Garden Lady’s recommended Master Gardener website will explain pruning techniques based on what you want to do to your shrub or tree. Know that some jobs, like pruning or working in tall trees, are too big to handle on your own and you might have to call in a professional.