Sharpen your skills with MSU Extension pruning workshops

Lindsey Kerr<kerrlind@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - March 03, 2026

Join MSU Extension this April for four pruning workshops in southeast Michigan.

A group of adults dressed in jackets and hats gathers along a paved garden path for an outdoor pruning workshop. Several participants kneel and lean over a landscaped bed while an instructor demonstrates techniques on dormant shrubs. Leafless trees, trimmed bushes, a white fence, and a wooden arbor frame the sunny early-spring garden setting under a bright blue sky. — Photo by Lindsey Kerr, MSU Extension.

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension will offer four pruning workshops at locations across southeast Michigan this April. Led by MSU Extension educators, these workshops will introduce participants to practical, research-based approaches to pruning small trees and shrubs in the home landscape.

Designed to meet the needs of home gardeners and community gardeners, these workshops will focus on properly pruning ornamental shrubs and small trees. Participants will learn why pruning matters, which tools to use, different techniques, and how to make proper cuts and how cuts impact future plant growth. Participants will also learn when the best time is to prune different plant species.

The 2026 pruning workshops will take place at public garden locations, where each workshop provides a unique opportunity for participants to learn by observing and practicing techniques on a wide variety of plants. Participants will be able to practice their pruning skills directly in the garden, receiving step-by-step guidance from the instructors as they make cuts.

An instructor wearing a navy beanie and gloves kneels beside a dormant shrub, demonstrating pruning techniques with red-handled pruners. Several participants stand nearby on a paved path, watching closely. — Photo by Melanie Fuhrmann, MSU Extension.

Proper pruning is about making informed choices that benefit the trees or shrubs. Ultimately, the gardener should be happy with the result, and the plants should be healthier. These pruning workshops connect research-based knowledge with real-world application, helping participants gain confidence to tackle pruning in their own gardens.

Workshop schedule

Click on the following links to learn more and to register for a workshop.

Taylor Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Taylor, MI
April 11, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI
April 17, 3–5 p.m.

MSU Tollgate Farm and Education Center, Novi, MI
April 18, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Washtenaw County Farm Park, Ann Arbor, MI
April 19, 1–3:30 p.m.

Participants will have plenty of opportunities to connect with instructors and fellow gardeners, ask questions, and share their own experiences. After the workshop, participants are encouraged to explore the surrounding public gardens for additional inspiration from the plant selections and thoughtful designs.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).