Pruning: meaning, definitions and examples

Use 'pruning' in the context of gardening or horticulture, specifically when selectively removing parts of plants, such as branches, buds, or roots, to improve growth or fruit production.

• Winter is the ideal time for pruning fruit trees to ensure a good harvest next year.
• She spent the afternoon pruning the rose bushes.

Use 'trim' when referring to neatening something by cutting away irregular or unwanted parts. This can apply to plants, hair, or even financial budgets.

• She is going to trim the hedges this weekend.
• I need to trim my bangs; they're getting too long.

Use 'cut back' in the context of reducing the size or amount of something, often drastically. This can be used for plants and also metaphorically speaking.

• You should cut back the ivy before it takes over the entire wall.
• To save money, we had to cut back on our outings.

Use 'clip' when referring to a more general, often quick or minor cutting, such as trimming small branches, edges, or even nails.

• I need to clip the hedge before it gets too overgrown.
• He quickly clipped the coupons from the newspaper.

Use when talking about removing specific branches or parts of a plant to promote healthy growth or to control its shape.

• Pruning the rose bushes in early spring helps them bloom better
• The gardener spent the afternoon pruning the apple trees

Typically used for lightly cutting back plants, hair, or other objects to tidy them up or maintain their shape. Often implies minor adjustments.

• She is trimming the edges of the lawn
• The barber spent time trimming his client's beard

A more general term, used for separating or removing any part of a plant, tree, or object. It can also refer to taking a piece to propagate a new plant.

• He was cutting down the old tree in the backyard
• She took a cutting from the plant to grow a new one

Use this term when you want to give a particular form or design to a plant, hedge, or other object. It's often used in the context of topiary work.

• The gardener was shaping the bushes into animal figures
• Shaping the hedge takes a lot of precision and care