While it's a good idea to prepare the soil of your garden early in the spring, you may need to take care of the perennial plants just as much. Besides the harvest you can get with organic farming and the aesthetics that flower carpets bring, you certainly need to focus on trees, shrubs and many other lasting plants just as early as the first days of the upcoming warm season. In spring, the garden is a feast of blossom, so make sure that it happens to you - with timely pruning.
What is the General Rule of Pruning
You should thin out the early spring and the early summer bloomers after they blossom, so act during late spring or mid-summer. For the rest of the bloomers, the end of the winter and the early summer is about time. However, it is often a good practice to shape the plants while they are leafless, regardless of the time they bloom. Otherwise, the leafs will confuse you and you will hardly manage to achieve the form you are planning. On the other hand, the untimely bare pruning can cost you the loss of many blossoms. So, here are some of the plants that should undergo trimming right after they cease to bloom in spring or early summer: Azalea, Bridal Crabapple, Forsythia, Hydrangea, Lilac, Magnolia, Mountain Laurel, Serviceberry, Weigela, and others.
When Early Spring Pruning is Applicable
While the pruning of large trees often requires serious actions like the one done by professional gardeners, even beginners are capable of removing broken and rotting branches or sucker sprouts. The tools you need include loppers, shears and curved tree saw. The early spring pruning is optimal for trees and shrubs that set their bloom on new growth, so it's best for you to act while they are dormant. The bad practices include top pruning, the overall sheared look of the plant, and the use of pruning paints. The latter cause various plant diseases. Here are some of the most common shrubs and trees for early spring pruning:
and more.
Tips on the Basic Pruning Techniques
The universal rule of pruning, used by the experts of gardening, is to pinch back the older bushes and shrubs. The older canes should be trimmed all the way to the ground. As a rule of thumb, you should cut out one third of the oldest canes annually.
While the first impression of a trimmed garden is often unpleasant, the blossoming of the plants easily hides the fresh cuts. Take care of your garden plants with annual pruning and the end result will always exceed your expectations.
Article provided by Amelia Goldford
What is the General Rule of Pruning
You should thin out the early spring and the early summer bloomers after they blossom, so act during late spring or mid-summer. For the rest of the bloomers, the end of the winter and the early summer is about time. However, it is often a good practice to shape the plants while they are leafless, regardless of the time they bloom. Otherwise, the leafs will confuse you and you will hardly manage to achieve the form you are planning. On the other hand, the untimely bare pruning can cost you the loss of many blossoms. So, here are some of the plants that should undergo trimming right after they cease to bloom in spring or early summer: Azalea, Bridal Crabapple, Forsythia, Hydrangea, Lilac, Magnolia, Mountain Laurel, Serviceberry, Weigela, and others.
When Early Spring Pruning is Applicable
While the pruning of large trees often requires serious actions like the one done by professional gardeners, even beginners are capable of removing broken and rotting branches or sucker sprouts. The tools you need include loppers, shears and curved tree saw. The early spring pruning is optimal for trees and shrubs that set their bloom on new growth, so it's best for you to act while they are dormant. The bad practices include top pruning, the overall sheared look of the plant, and the use of pruning paints. The latter cause various plant diseases. Here are some of the most common shrubs and trees for early spring pruning:
- Butterfly Bush;
- Flowering Dogwood;
- Flowering Plum;
- Glossy Abelia;
- Honeysuckle;
- Potentilla;
- Redbud;
- Spirea;
- Wisteria;
and more.
Tips on the Basic Pruning Techniques
The universal rule of pruning, used by the experts of gardening, is to pinch back the older bushes and shrubs. The older canes should be trimmed all the way to the ground. As a rule of thumb, you should cut out one third of the oldest canes annually.
While the first impression of a trimmed garden is often unpleasant, the blossoming of the plants easily hides the fresh cuts. Take care of your garden plants with annual pruning and the end result will always exceed your expectations.
Article provided by Amelia Goldford