Gardeners through the ages have seldom been content to stand back and leave the growth of their plants entirely up to Mother Nature with her unpredictable whims and fancies. Instead of viewing my fellow gardeners as interfering in the natural sequence of events in our gardens, I like to think of us as shaping and improving the environment that nature has provided by removing unnecessary parts of the plants to encourage larger and better fruits and flowers, somewhat akin to the way we nurture our children, rather than simply turning them out to face the world on their own.
Few aspects of gardening are shrouded in as much mystery as is pruning. It really is a simple and logical process and here are some guidelines which you may find useful.
Not all deciduous shrubs require yearly pruning but those that do fall into three main categories according to their flowering times: "winter", "spring to mid-summer" and "late summer".
Winter-flowering deciduous shrubs don't require a great deal of pruning other than shaping when they are young and removing congested branches which cross the centre of the plant and block out the warmth and light of the sun. These plants should be pruned as soon as they finish flowering so as to give them as much time as possible to produce their new shoots for the next season. It is easiest to control the size of this group.
The spring to mid-summer group should be pruned as soon as their flowers fade, first removing untidy weak shoots and those branches which cross the plant's centre as described in the previous paragraph. If your shrub has been neglected for a couple of seasons, you can rejuvenate it by cutting back the complete shrub. This may appear a drastic measure but you will sacrifice flowers for only one season and it will remind you not to let it happen again.
Shrubs in the late summer group are best pruned in the late spring of the following year.This will give you fresh young shoots for the next season. If you prune them immediately after flowering, the new shoots will appear too early and will run the risk of being damaged by frost. Again, you should remove any branch congestion in the middle of the shrub and any thin and weak shoots. Cut out all shoots that bore flowers during the previous season. It is best to cut on an angle with the upper point just above the bud but not too close to the bud in case you damage it or leave it unsupported.
Always cut out any pest-affected or diseased shoots; if left they can aid the spread of nasties in your garden. These should be disposed of by burning.
So get started. It's really quite easy.
Few aspects of gardening are shrouded in as much mystery as is pruning. It really is a simple and logical process and here are some guidelines which you may find useful.
Not all deciduous shrubs require yearly pruning but those that do fall into three main categories according to their flowering times: "winter", "spring to mid-summer" and "late summer".
Winter-flowering deciduous shrubs don't require a great deal of pruning other than shaping when they are young and removing congested branches which cross the centre of the plant and block out the warmth and light of the sun. These plants should be pruned as soon as they finish flowering so as to give them as much time as possible to produce their new shoots for the next season. It is easiest to control the size of this group.
The spring to mid-summer group should be pruned as soon as their flowers fade, first removing untidy weak shoots and those branches which cross the plant's centre as described in the previous paragraph. If your shrub has been neglected for a couple of seasons, you can rejuvenate it by cutting back the complete shrub. This may appear a drastic measure but you will sacrifice flowers for only one season and it will remind you not to let it happen again.
Shrubs in the late summer group are best pruned in the late spring of the following year.This will give you fresh young shoots for the next season. If you prune them immediately after flowering, the new shoots will appear too early and will run the risk of being damaged by frost. Again, you should remove any branch congestion in the middle of the shrub and any thin and weak shoots. Cut out all shoots that bore flowers during the previous season. It is best to cut on an angle with the upper point just above the bud but not too close to the bud in case you damage it or leave it unsupported.
Always cut out any pest-affected or diseased shoots; if left they can aid the spread of nasties in your garden. These should be disposed of by burning.
So get started. It's really quite easy.
Maxina Williams loves everything to do with gardening and outdoor living.
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Article source: http://www.gardenswings-n-things.blogspot.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GardenThings
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/gardenswings
Article source: http://www.gardenswings-n-things.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maxina_D_Williams
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