Pruning E-Book by Rogitex

E-Book published by: www.rogitex.com

Table of Contents Introduc�on…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3 WhyShouldYouPrune?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Plant Health as a Primary Reason to Prune……………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Correct Size and Shape for the Space…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..3 MoreFlowersandFruit……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….4 For Fun!………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….5 TheProperEquipmentforPruning……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….5 Hand-HeldShears……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…...5 HedgeShears………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..7 Loppers…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...7 HandSaw………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...7 ChainSaws&PolePruners……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...8 HowtoPruneforBestPlantResponse………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..…8 AskYourself WHYYouArePruning………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..8 Effect of Removing Branches or Stems…………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..8 HeadingCuts………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..….8 Thinning Cuts………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..9 Tip Pruning……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...9 Pruning to Fix Damaged Plants………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….11 WhentoPruneShrubsandSmallTrees………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..12 Spring Blooming Shrubs and Small Trees……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…12 SummerBloomingShrubsandSmallTrees……………………………………………………………………………………………………...13 TheProperHedge………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…14 FormalHedgevsInformalHedge……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14 TheFormalHedge………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….14 TheInformalHedge………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...15 Topiary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16 PruningSuckeringShrubs……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...17 EvergreensRequireLessPruning…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...17 PruningVines………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...18 Undesirable Vines.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..19 Pruning Desirable Vining Plants……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19 PruningDwarfFruit&OrnamentalTrees………………………………………………………………………………………………………………21 HowtoBeginPruning……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………22 gg nn ii mm rr aa FF ee ll bb aa nn ii aa tt ss uu SS gg nn ii tt rr oo pp pp uu SS 22 wwwwww..rrooggiitteex.x.cocomm

do, both on the ground and in the tree where Introduc�on youwill probably see a jagged limb remnant. Generally speaking, there are two types of Whiletakingcareofthathighremnantmay “pruners”: Folks who stand in front of a shrub beajobbe�ersuitedforprofessionaltree or tree not knowing where to begin and the trimmers, pruning your shorter shrubs and others wholookatthetree,getouttheir dwarfornamentaltreescanbeasa�sfying loppers and prune plants with abandon. For a task that results in a �dy garden free of debris beginner, the task can seem overwhelming – andwelcomingtowalkthrough. butif you focus on following the 3 main principles of pruning, you will get beau�ful Plant Health as a Primary Reason to Prune results. Whenyoulookcloselyatyourshruborsmall tree, do you happen to see branches rubbing These3principles, as outlined in The Pruning against each other? Are some perhaps dead BookbyLeeReich,arethefollowing: or broken? Are some tree branches forming � Well-reasoned(whyyouarepruning) anacuteanglewiththetreetrunk?Unless � Well-�med(thebest�metoprune) youhaveaWeepingCherryoraWeeping � Well-made(howtomakecleancuts) Willow, branches that sag or grow close to the groundwillneedtobepruned. Readontodiscovermoreabouteachofthese principles and to build your confidence before Whenbranchesofwoodyplantsrubagainst venturing out to tackle your landscape! eachother,theouterlayerofbarkisscraped off, causing wounds to the tree. This creates WhyShouldYouPrune? openareasfordiseasepathogenstoenter.If Walkingthroughthewoodsyouobviouslywill theshrubisatangleofbrancheswithli�leair notseeanygardenershelpingnatureoutwith flow or sunlight, this creates the perfect home hertrees. This is because pruning can for pathogenic microbes. o�en�mesbeanaturaloccurrence.Ifyoufind yourself walking over a fallen branch one day, Plants can’t grow without their try looking up and you just might see where thebranchcamefrom,andifthetreetruly leaves for photosynthesis so neededitornot.Diseasedorinsect-infested when you remove the leaves brancheswill some�mesbeshednaturallyby and new shoots from the shrub thetree, as well as the li�le s�cks and twigs stubs the roots will slowly die. that li�er the forest floor. This is simply nature doingherjob,discardingwhatshenolonger needstogrowstrongerandhealthierasa Correct Size and Shape for the Space result. O�enwhenyoubuyahomewherethe landscaping has not been tended to for a It is important to do the same thing with your while, you may no�ce someshrubsge�ng ownlandscape.A�erastrongwindstorm, tootall or wide for the space. Before you start nature will have done a lot of work for you in pruning, you should first evaluate if you want thebigshadetrees,butperhapsnotinways to keep the shrub to begin with. youwouldhaveintended.Thereiscleanupto 33

Amoreeffec�vewaytoremoveunwanted older shrubs is to cut back the top growth to 1inchfromthegroundbutleavetheroots intact. These shrubs will send up shoots for 2-3 years, which you can simply snip off. The roots will con�nue to soakupwaterwhileyouestablisha different landscape plan. You could also let them grow and see if you prefer the shrubs in their smaller size. Plants cannot grow without their leaves for photosynthesis so when youremovetheleavesandnew shoots from the shrub stubs the roots will slowly die. Leaving them in the groundservesapurpose:theysoakup waterwhiletryingtoregrow,eventually becomingorganicma�erinyoursoilonce they die off, feeding the microbes who are Ques�onstoaskyourself: feeding your new landscape. • Are the shrubs or trees planted too close to the house? MoreFlowersandFruit • Will other landscape features have an Shrubsandtreesbloomorfruitoneitherthe impactonthatshrub/tree(sun st nd 1 or2 yeargrowth. Ifyouhaveatangleof exposure, proximity to other plants, untendedgrowththeflowerswillbehardto etc)? see, and you will not be able to reach the • Are you planning on adding more to fruit. You will also have more disease and pest yourlandscape? problemsbecausethattangleistheperfect environmentforthem;warm,dark,and If you answered yes to any of these ques�ons, g moist. n i thenyoumayhavesomepruningtodo(in m r a F addi�ontopossiblysomedigging). e l b Raspberries o�en create thickets that trap the a n i a juicy berries in the middle, making them only t s Somewordsofcau�on: Beforeyou u S accessible to birds. These can fortunately be g a�empttodiganythingup,haveaplanfor n i t r tamedeasilyenough,alongwithlilacs, o p movingwaterawayfromthehouse.Those p u poten�llas, and dogwood that put out shoots S shrubrootsaretakinginalotofrainwater to increase the diameter of the plan�ng, anddiggingthemoutmayresultinwater usually to the detriment of flower produc�on. building up and possibly flooding your basement. 4 www.rogitex.com

Dwarffruit trees are a beau�ful addi�on to a thing you want is to spread that disease to landscape. They only grow to about 8-10 feet other plants. Just dip your blade into the tall, bloom in the spring, and produce fruit to alcohol and wipe off. Keeping a sharpened eat. bladeonallyourtoolsmeansyouwillalso needtohaveawhetstoneandafile. Mostfruittreesproduceanoverabundanceof fruit, so excess flowers must be pinched out. Hand-HeldShears Otherwise, you will get fruit and flowers every For snipping and cu�ng smaller stems. other year. The tree has put far too much Therearetwotypesofhand-heldshears;anvil energyintofrui�ngandneedstorest. andbypass.Anvilwillalmostalwayscostless, butthat’s because they don’t do as good a job For Fun! of cu�ng. Some�mestheveryactofengaginginatask like pruning, is a great way to clear your mind Think of an axe and a stump that you split andputsomeorderinyoursurroundings.The kindling on. The axe is sharp and the stump is task does not have to be overwhelming if you flat. If your axe swing is a li�le off the piece of remindyourselfthatagorgeouslandscape kindling doesn’t split. Anvil shears have a happensinbabysteps.Whilestar�ngthetask sharpbladethatthatclosesontoananvil, mayseemdaun�ng,knowthattheresultwill cu�ngandsmashingthebranch.Ifthetop beworthitforthesa�sfac�onandconfidence andbo�omoftheanvilshearsdon’tlineup it will bring you as you walk through your perfectly the cut will be incomplete, leaving a perfectly landscaped garden. thread of plant �ssue. You’ll be tempted to Soroll up your sleeves, take a moment to pull that plant thread off, DON’T! It’s s�ll visualize your desired outcome as we discuss a�achedtotheplantandwillpulltheouter thetools you will need for the job at hand. layer of bark right down the limb, just like a piece of ribbon. That will create a wound all thewaydownthelimb. TheProperEquipmentforPruning Awordofadviceontools:Getthebestones Bypassshearsarelikescissors. Two sharp youcanaffordandtakegoodcareofthem. blades passing each other. Because you’ve Thatmeansusingthemcorrectly(for example,youshouldnotbetryingtocuta2- kept your tools sharp you get a nice clean cut. inch diameter limb with handheld pruning They’re good for cu�ng branches up to ½ shears). Keeping them sharp and clean will inch thick. They’re also good for trimming notonlyresultinaneasiertaskofpruningbut damagedrootsfromabarerootshrubortree will ensure you are not endangering your you’ve received in the mail. Only prune what’s plants by making them more suscep�ble to absolutely necessary on young plants. They disease. needalltheir leaves and roots to get a strong start. Anotherpruningsupplyyoushouldalways haveisIsopropyl Alcohol to sani�ze your tools a�ercu�ngoutadiseasedlimb.Thelast 5

PruningTools Hand-HeldShears HedgeShears HandSaw ChainSaw g n i m r a F e l b Loppers a n i a t s u S g n i t r o p p u S 6 www.rogitex.com

HedgeShears Asthenamesuggests,thesearemainlyused for hedges. A formal hedge is a high maintenancepartofyourlandscape (andlikely will also require hand-held shears for more intricate detailing). Maintaining an informal hedge is less labor intensive and does not require as much skill. Hedge shears must be kept very sharp, so pruning does not stress the plants. Therearehedgeshearswithlong handlesandotherswithordinary handles. The ones with ordinary handleswill give you a bit more control. Keep them well-oiled and sharpenbladesregularly, and this tool canlast a life�me. Good quality tools really makeallthedifferenceingardening. HandSaw Loppers This tool should be used mainly for large This is what you will need for taking out mid- limbs and thicker branches. Using the tree sized branches on a tree. If you no�ce that a trimmer’s three-cut method is ideal when branchischallenging to cut, despite your removingunwantedbranchesfromdwarf loppers being kept sharp, avoid trying to force fruit or ornamental trees (see image above). it and use a hand saw instead (see below for moreonhandsaws). Handsawscomeinavarietyof configura�ons. The preferred Grecian saw has Someloppershavelonghandlestomakeit anarrow,curvedsawbladewithvery�ny easier to reach into the middle of a shrub. teeth making it less likely to nick adjoining Theseareheavierthanregularloppersand branches. This saw cuts on the pull stroke and canbeunwieldy.Youmaygaindistancebut typically does not need sharpening. The shape will lose precision. A helpful �p when pruning of the blade works well with our body’s overgrownshrubsistowearlongsleeves, natural movement,offering a clean cut with gloves, and long pants. It may feel like you are li�le effort. wadingthroughathicketinthewoods,butif youstart by pruning outside stems and work TheStraight Saw is also popular for pruning yourwayin,youwillhaveaneasier�me.A with a sturdy but flexible blade that resists sturdy tool belt that can carry your loppers buckling. They work well on thick branches andhandshearsisalsoagreatinvestment that are between mid-body to shoulder andwill allow you to always have what you height. needonhand. 7

Stay away from regular carpenter’s saws for foliage for photosynthesis to keep the roots pruning as they are more cumbersome and healthy. notaseasytocontrolinscenariosthatdonot AskYourself WHYYouArePruning involve a straight flat surface on which to cut. If your focus is the health of the plant, start by Sawsthataremadeforpruningareideal,and determining whatthenaturalformofthat manycomewithbladesthatfoldbackinto shruborsmalltreeisandthenpruneout thehandleforsafetywhenstoring. branchesthataredeadbacktoalivebranch. If the shrub is mul�-stemmed, then simply cut Theheavierbladedstraightpullsawlookslike thedeadstems.Youwillalsowanttoprune acarpenter’s saw and almost always nicks an outcrossing limbs, or any that may be adjoining limb. Try not to use a pull saw restric�ng sunlight and air circula�on. unless it’s all you have. If the reason for pruning is to shape or ChainSaws&PolePruners decreasethesizeoftheplant,focusonareas Theselargerpiecesofequipmentrequire that are giving your plant its height and width, cau�onandshouldonlybeusedby slowly working your way in un�l you are experienced pruners or professionals. Owning content with the result. achainsawcancomeinhandywhenbreaking downfallentreesandlargelimbs;butifyou Effect of Removing Branches or Stems needtotacklealargebranchthatiss�ll Pruning affects the basic biology of a shrub. a�achedtoatree,assessthesitua�onwell Plant branches terminate in a bud which puts andcall in a professional if you are not outachemicalcalledauxintomaintainits comfortable doing it yourself. dominance.Ifthedominantbudremains,it keepsotherbudsonthebranchdormantand Pole pruners are used to cut high branches thebranchgrowslonger.Whenyouremove fromthegroundandcanbedangerousifused theterminalbudthesourceofauxinis incorrectly – pu�ng you at risk of being removed,andthesidebudscometolife injured by falling branches. They also force whichresults in the plant becoming bushier. youtocraneyourneckbackandarenotideal in most situa�ons. For larger pruning and tree If you want to retain that single header, like in trimmingjobs,contactaprofessionalandsave aChristmastree,thenadifferentmethodof g yourself the risk. n i pruning is used to fill out the tree, but the m r a F headerwiththatdominantbudisnotcut. e l b a HowtoPruneforBestPlantResponse Manyfruittreesalsohaveasingleheader. n i a t s Togettheresponseyouwantfromtheplant u S g n while maintaining the plant’s health, be sure i t HeadingCuts r o p to consider the 3 principles of pruning p If you have a single stemmed tall plant and u S previously men�oned:well-reasoned, well- wantittohavemorebranches,thenyouneed �med,well-made.Anotherhelpful�pisto to makeaheadingcutwhichremovesno notcutbackmorethanonethirdofthe morethanathirdofthebranch. Thisworks plant’s growth – giving your tree enough with shrubs, perennial flowers, and trees that are being kept at a dwarf height. Heading cuts 8 www.rogitex.com

automa�callydecreasetheheightofyour Thinning cuts are used to cut out an en�re shrubortreeandbecausetheauxin limb to open the canopy of a small tree or produc�onofthedominantbudisgone,your shrub. This allows air and sunlight to shrubortreewillhavemorebranches. penetrate to the interior of the shrub, resul�ng in more blooms or be�er ripening Howyoupruneinrela�ontogrowthonthe fruit. In a mul�-stemmed shrub, thinning cuts stemorlimbwilldeterminethehealthofthat take out branches all the way to the ground. cut and the direc�on a branch grows. Your cut shouldbeaboveabudfacingthedirec�on Ashrubwithlotsofbloomsandfruitneeds youwantthelimbtogo.Figure1showsthe air and sun circula�ng throughout its growth different ways to cut a stem while retaining a to remain healthy. What you are removing is healthy plant. excessive plant growth which can harbor disease and insect pests. Be mindful of which Before you cut the header be sure you know stemsyouprunetothegroundandtrynotto thegrowthhabitofyourshruborsmalltree. overdoit. Shrubsthathavemul�plestemscomingfrom onerootsendupmoreshootstobecome Tip Pruning bushier whenthedominantbudissnipped Some�mescalled“Pinching,”thismethodof off. Some small ornamental trees like pruning involves removing just the �ps of pyramidal arborvitae (Thuga occiden�s stemsandhasasurprisinglyprofoundeffect ‘Pyramidalis’) have conical shapes, tall and ontheen�reshrubortree.Thisisbecause thin, while others, such as apple trees (Malus whenthat�pisremoved,theauxinthatit domes�caspp),haveavaseshape. producesisnolongerbeingsuppliedtothe plant. As previously men�oned, this allows Evergreens such as arborvitae, hemlock, dormantsidebudstogrowintovigorousside juniper, and yew can quickly grow beyond shoots. yourdesiredsize. They are pruned using a headingcutfornewgrowthandthinningcuts Tip pruning an apple tree results in more (explained below) to maintain their shape. It lateral branches, which will lead to more is also important to note that evergreens will blossomsandfruit. Youcankeepan putoutnewgrowthonlyiftheremaining evergreensuchasafir,spruce,orpinethe branchhasneedlesonit. size you want by pinching off the “candles” or light-colored new growth on the side Thinning Cuts branchesinthespringwhiletheyares�llso�. Whenusingthismethod,theeffectonthe Unless you are looking to change the shape of tree will not be visible if the cut branch was anevergreen,resist cu�ngbackthemain deadorrubbingonanotherbranch.Ifthe stemwiththedominantbud. branchisprunedwhiles�llalive,theen�re tree or shrub will feel the effect and begin to engageinmorevigorousgrowth.Thereason for this is that the energy the plant was pu�ngintothatbranchhasnowbecome available to the en�re shrub or tree. 9

g n i m r a F e l b a n i a t s u S g n i t r o p p u S 10 www.rogitex.com

Pruning To Fix Damaged Plants Shrubsandtreescansome�mesbedamaged byagoodstrongwindstorm,orbyother accidental means. It is important to prunebackthedamagetopromote healing and regrowth, but the methodsusedwilldifferbetween shrubs and trees. AWoundedShrub Shrubscomeintwovarie�es: mul�-stemmedandsingletrunk.If thedamageisonamul�-stemmed shrub, cut the damaged stems to theground,encouragingtheplant to send up shoots. It may look lopsided at first but will eventually fill outagainthefollowingyear. Ashrubwithasingletrunkneedsmore observa�on.Usingathinningcut,pruneout O�enalimbthathasbeendamageddueto anydamagedbranches.Ifthetrunkitselfis high winds will be slightly twisted off the damaged,youwillhavetopayclosea�en�on trunk. If it is too high to reach, call a to it. If you no�ce disease or insect problems professional to remove it with a chain saw. that can be an indica�on that your plant is weak.Damagetothetrunkcouldalsobea If the limb is down and has taken some of the sign of damaged roots and may indicate that trunk bark with it, there is not much you can theshrubneedstobereplacedaltogether. doasidefrommakesurethelimbisnot showingsignsofdiseaseorinsectinfesta�on. AWoundedTree If these signs appear, remove it from the area Trees can be more complicated to fix once anddisposeofitimmediatelyasan they have been damaged.If the broken infesta�on on fallen branches can easily branchiss�ll hanging on the tree, you can spreadbacktothetreeorothersurrounding typically use a hand saw to remove it. Star�ng plants. fromthebo�omofthebranch,cuttoward thebrokenspot,tryingyourbesttoremove Trees and shrubs are incredible healing thelimbwithouttearingdownintothebark machines.All plants react the same to a cut or of the trunk. This may require you to find a wound;iftheweatheriswarm,cellsinthe helper to hold the damaged limb while you vicinity begin to divide and create an removeit,toensureacleanandeasycutthat an�microbial layer on the wounded area. will not damage the tree further. Trees will contain the damage by growing healthy �ssue over the area. In cold weather 11

thenewbranchescreatedovertheprevious summer. If the shrub is expanding beyond its bounds, thinning cuts around the base of the plant will help to get it under control. Heading cuts will create more branches for bud set and blooms for the next year. Prune these plants early in theseason,asthiswillencouragethemtoput outnewgrowthoverthecourseofthe summer. Forsythia (Forsythia intermedia) is one of the first shrubs to bloom and a good example of howmuchgrowthashrubcanputoninone season. Thriving shrubs may even need a secondpruningattheendoftheseasonto thetreemayhealmoreslowlybutpathogenic tametheabundanceofsummergrowth. organismsanddiseasearealsosloweddown. Whileyoumaylosesomeblooms,itis Avoidpu�nganykindofhealingointmentor importanttotrimsomeofthelongerarching wounddressingonthetreeasthatwillcreate branchesastheycangrowlongenoughto awarmandmoistbreedinggroundfor touchthegroundandgiveanunruly pathogens. appearancetotheshrub. Several other spring blooming shrubs and WhentoPruneShrubsandSmallTrees raspberries grow long stems, called canes, Whilethereareasetofguidelinesforpruning that in one season can touch the ground and that dependontheshrubortreeinques�on, start to root. If le� alone, they will establish a there are o�en also excep�ons to consider. newplant(that’showraspberrythickets Hydrangeas,forexample,seemtosparkmany happen)andtakeovermoreofyouryard. differing opinions on when or if they even Thoserooted�psofshrubscanbedugupand require pruning at all. Some cut them back at planted in a more desirable place, or simply theendoftheseasonsotheygrownewand g n dugupandcomposted.Orevenbe�er,po�ed i fresh the following year while others swear by m r a upinaverypre�ypotandgiventoafriendas F only trimming off dead canes and using e l b auniqueandpersonalhousewarminggi�. a thinning cuts only when necessary for shaping n i a t s theplant. u S g Whenpruningbackspringbloomingshrubs, n i t r o take off about 1/3 of each branch with a p p Spring Blooming Shrubs and Small Trees u S headingcut.Makesurethecutisjustabovea If you wait un�l late summer to prune spring- budthatispoin�nginthedirec�onyouwant flowering shrubs or ornamental trees, you will thebranchtogrow. Bytheendofsummer, cut off most of the buds for next year’s spring theshrubwillhaveproducednewgrowthto display. Spring flowering shrubs form buds on 12 www.rogitex.com

supportacolorful cascade of green leaves alnifolia), viburnum (Viburnum), and that will emerge the following spring. poten�lla (Poten�lla fru�cose), among others. Manyvarie�esofwhatmostassumeare Spiraea (Spirea spp) is a large family of shrubs flowering trees are actually classified as mul�- with numerousgrowthhabits.Almostall stemmedshrubs.Theycangrowintotrees species need to be pruned with thinning cuts, dependingonhowtheyarepruned.The butop�mal�mingdiffersforeach.Some SmokeTree(Co�nuscoggygria)isagood needpruninginthewinter,someinthe examplethatisusuallyseenwithmassesof spring, some twice a year. It is valuable to get �nyindividual flowers that look like smoke in to knowthespeciesthroughabitofresearch thetree. While it looks beau�ful, the blooms to ensure that you prune for op�mum canonlybeseenfromadistancewhenitis flowering. shapedspecifically to encourage it to grow as atree. In its natural state, it is more of a bush. Spirea’s branches drape down to create beau�fulcascadesofbloom,butover�me, Tocutbackonmaintenance,youcanprune they can becometoodense.Itisnecessaryto these flowering trees into shrubs by star�ng thin the shrubs so the branches under the with any damagedstems.Then,prunetothe cascadecangetsunlightandair,otherwise groundabout1/3ofthestemsingeneral. they will die. This is a major problem with Co�nusbloomsonoldwoodsoifyouleave spirea, no ma�er what species. If you cut back two-thirds of the stems, those will have athird of the shrub stems to within one inch blooms.Thenewgrowthwillhavelarge, fromthesoil, they will put up new shoots that beau�fulleaves. Next spring, thin out 1/3 of will bloom next year. Every year use thinning thestemsthatbloomedtogroundleveland cuts to remove the oldest 1/3 of stems to last year’s foliage will become this year’s allow air and sunlight into the middle of the blooms.It will usually take three years to plant, resul�ng in more leaf and bud growth. create a smoke bush from a smoke tree. Youmayfindthatmany“trees”arenaturally SummerBloomingShrubsandSmallTrees shrubs. Lilacs, Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia), Summerbloomingtreesandshrubsrequire RoseofSharon(Hibiscussyriacus)arejusta thesamethinningandheadingcutsasspring few. Observa�onofgrowthhabitmayshow bloomersbutbepreparedtopruneincold youtherearemoreshrubsonyourproperty weather. Summerbloomersneedtobe thanyouthought.Hint:ornamentaltreesthat thinned and cut down to height during their keeppu�ngoutsuckersmaybeshrubsin dormantseason,whilethereiss�llsnowon disguise. theground.Investinapairofwarmgloves If it has a trunk, then consider cu�ng it down with high dexterity to make the job easier and by1/3beforebudbreakandyouwillfind youwill reap the benefits come summer�me. yourself with a short tree that will start pu�ngoutsuckers.Thosesuckersarethe Therearesomanyshrubsthatflowerin beginning of your new shrub. summer,makingitimpossibletomen�on themallbutsomeofthemostcommonones include roses (Rosa), summersweet (Clethra 13

hedgeisbutcheredwithstraightupanddown TheProperHedge cuts. While this may create a �dy look at first, Pruning a hedge is NOT something le� to your thebo�omofthehedgewilleventuallyfrom son, husband, or neighbor who happens to lack of sunlight. The rapid cu�ng of an haveapowerhedgetrimmer.Infact,power electric or gas hedge trimmer also stresses hedgetrimmersdoagreatdisservicetoa theplants, especially if the trimmer is hedge,whetherformalorinformal. beginning to dull. FormalHedgevsInformalHedge TheFormalHedge Weusuallyseeformalhedgesinformal Hedgesaremadeupofmul�pleplantswhose gardensorasdividersbetweenayardandthe branchesmergetomakeaseamlesswall. sidewalk. A formal hedge is pruned into a long Plants that are columnar or fas�giate varie�es box-like or rounded shape and maintained naturally grow upright and �ght. Yew, privet, with shearings twice per year. When you andboxwoodallmakegoodformalhedges, shear a hedge with hedge shears you are andtheycanhandlefrequentpruning.Both makingmanyheadingcuts. deciduousplantsandevergreenshrubsare Aninformalhedgeisprunedsothatthe also suitable for a formal hedge. It is advised natural shape of the plant is evident. A line of to do someresearchonplantgrowthhabits forsythia with draping branches, or spirea sotoavoidfalling in love with a plant and shrubs lining a long driveway are examples. thenfindoutthehardwayaboutallthe Bothheadingandthinningcutsareusedto challenges involved in trying to keep it maintain the shrub’s shape. pruned. Sadly, hedge trimming is not typically Theindividual plants making up a hedge tend considered pruning, but is referred to as to put out more growth on the top where “cu�ngback”andisusuallypartofalawn they get more sun. When pruning, make sure mowingcontract.Inmostcases,li�le�meis thebo�omofthehedgeaswellasthe spentonplanthealthconsidera�onsandthe interior of the hedge are being exposed to a g n i m r a F e l b a n i a t s u S g n i t r o p p u S 14 www.rogitex.com

fair share of sunlight. If you are trying to Trimmingaproperhedgeis�meconsuming andrequireshedgeshearsandhandpruning establish a new hedge, there are some shears. To keep a hedge healthy from top to pruning cuts that must be made along the bo�om,thebasemustbewiderthanthetop. waytoendupwithlushandvigorous, Whetherthetopissquareorround,the con�nuedgrowth. hedgeshouldgofromthewiderbo�omto thenarrowertopatagentleangle.Notethat squaretopscanbemorepronetosnow damageover�me. Pu�nginahedgerequiressomethoughtasit is not a low-maintenance part of the garden; in fact, it may be the highest maintenance Image:UnivofMarylandExtensionh�ps://extension.umd.edu/ feature. So before proceeding, ask yourself resource/pruning-shrubs-and-hedges someques�ons: Howtoestablishahedgeofdeciduousplants • Howmuch�meareyouwillingto 1. Cut off almost everything at plan�ng. It devotetoahedge?Theanswermay will feel dras�c but cu�ng tall growth makethedifferencebetweenaformal will make the hedge bushier at the or an informal hedge. bo�om. • Howhighandwidedoyouwantyour 2. A�ertheplantsgrowforaseasoncut hedge?Theidealsizeis3feetwideand backthemainstem1/3and�pprune nohigherthaneyelevel(higherfor all branches. moreprivacy,butkeepinmindyouwill 3. Every year a�er, prune the hedge to needaladdertoprunethetop). shapewithawidebaseandanarrower • Howmuchmoneyareyouwillingto top. spendonplants?Columnarorfas�giate varie�es naturally grow upright and Eveninaformalhedgethereareindiscreet �ght, so fewer straggling branches holes into the interior of the hedge so throughouttheseasonbutmoreof sunlight and air can get into the hedge and themwillbeneededtocreateafull keeptheinterioralive. Have you ever cut back appearance. the“skin” of a hedge to find dead branches? Mostofthemarenotdeadbutsimplyleafless TheInformalHedge - following the branches will lead you to This is most effec�ve with a row of mul�- luxuriant growth on the top of the hedge. stemmeddrapingshrubssuchasForsythia, Theseholescanbecreatedbyusingbypass Spirea, or spreading evergreens. An informal handprunerstoprunebackaninteriorbranch hedgetakesmuchlessworkthanaformal or two at a 45-degree angle, just above a bud one, but it does take up more space. To get a that’s heading in the direc�on you want the luxurious draping Forsythia hedge, covered in branch. Take two or three steps down your beau�fulyellowbloomsinspring�me,you hedgeandpruneanotherinteriorbranch. will need about 6 feet of ground space. If less Whenthosebranchesareexposedto spaceis available, shorter shrubs like sunlight, they start pu�ng out green shoots poten�lla will give almost all season cheery whichwill makethehedgeappearfuller. 15

Anartformbeyondtrimmingandpruning, famoustopiarygardensexistacrossEurope andNorthAmerica.Ifyouhaveeverbeento Disneyland, there are many topiary characters featured throughout the grounds. Now, a 15-foot Mickey Mousemightlookoutofplacein youryardbuta3-footonemight betheperfectquirkyaddi�on, especially if you have young children or grandchildren. Atopiarystarts with a plant, or plants, placed inside an open- structured metal shape. The plant growsthroughthemetalcagingand gets pruned using head cuts as the Source: jimsmowing.com.au/2016/07/when-to-prune-hedges-and-how-o�en/ branchesemergebeyondthestructured shape. As you might have guessed, it can take several years of growth for the plant to becomearecognizablefigure. yellow blooms and will be concentrated to a Smaller topiary can be created in pots, but smaller area. keepinmindthattheseareshrubsthatwill haveasubstan�alrootmass,sothepot Aninformalhedgeismadeupofindividual shouldbequitelarge.Researchhowmuch shrubs that are each thinning and �p pruned pruning the chosen plant can handle before like any ornamental shrub to keep them full youstart. Narrow-leaved evergreens are your andflourishing. The key to having an informal best choice due to the smaller leaves as they hedgealongyourdriveoronthepropertyline will cover the wire frame more evenly. Just is to research how large it will be at maturity. think of your 4-year-old grandchild’s Pruning will help to keep it in bounds but be expression of amazementwhentheyseeabig mindful of how close it is planted to the greenMickeyinthegardenattheirnextvisit! drivewaytobesurethedrapingbrancheswill g n i m notscratch your car. r a F e l b a Topiary n i a t s Topiary, or pruning and training of live plants u S st g into shapes, was first recorded in the 1 n i t r o p century CE. Caesar Augustus, in Ancient p u S Rome,commissionedmanytopiarygardens with formal shapes to suit the formal architecture. A formal hedge is considered a formoftopiary. 16 www.rogitex.com

Thefirst op�on will leave you with blooms that PruningSuckeringShrubs maybetoohightoreach.A�erspring Suckering shrubs, simply put, are plants that blooming,cut1/3ofthemainleadertoabud keepexpandingtheirfootprintbypu�ngup poin�nginthedirec�onyouwantthenext newshootsfurtherfromthemiddleofthe branchtogrow.Thisisaheadingcutandwill root mass. They tend to become thick and invigorate buds further on down the branch denseratherquickly, pu�ngoutcrossed becausethedominantbudandtheauxinit stemsthato�enleadtodamageanddisease. produced,hasbeenremoved.Keepremoving Theyalsoproducefewerflowersorfruit anysuckersthatappearatthebaseofthetree becausetheplantispu�ngallitsenergyinto andcutoffanylowhanginglimbstothebranch building plant mass. collar, where they a�ach to the main trunk. Suckering shrubs should be pruned in early Thesecondop�onwillleaveyouwithno spring before bud break. Even on spring bloomsforthefirstyeara�ercu�ng,butyou flowering shrubs, it is best to use thinning will be able to re-establish a mul�-stemmed cuts to remove excess growth for op�mal shrub. Whenitbloomsthefollowingyear,the plant health. Remove only 1/3 of the stems, flowers will be at eye and nose level making star�ng with the furthest from the center and themeasiertoenjoy.Whenthinningthe thenproceedingtotheoldeststemsinthe suckers, leave the healthiest and avoid having middle. anycrossing branches. The goal is to create one Cutstemsaninchabovethesoilline,leaving beau�fully shaped shrub, keeping all suckers nd rd the2 or3 yeargrowthasthesebranches that comeupatadistancefromthemiddle,cut will produce blooms. With heading cuts, trim downtosoillevel. backanydamagedordiseasedbranches, openingtheshrubupsosunlightcanreachall EvergreensRequireLessPruning branches. The plant will respond with Perhapsreadingthat�tlewilltemptyouto renewedvigorbecausetherootswillnow growonlyevergreens,butrestassuredthat only supply nutrients to much fewer withoutpropermaintenancetheseslow- branches. The shrub will also put-up new growingshrubscans�lltakeoverasidewalk. growthfromthethinningnubsle�atground Toregainthesidewalk,pruneevergreen level. branchesbacktoasidebranch(athinningcut) Thecommonlilac(Syringavulgaris)for sothefoliagehidesthecut.Ifmul�plebranches example,isagoodexampleofasuckering are out of bounds your best op�on is what is shrub. If le� unpruned it can become a tree, called “the three-year method” of pruning. This with sparse blooms and many suckers at its base. The suckers will not bloom because the mothertreeprovidestoomuchshade. If the lilac has become a tree, there are two things you can do: • Removeallthesuckersandshapethe lilac as a shorter tree form • Remove1/3ofthesuckersandcut downthelilactreewithahandsaw 17

methodcausestheleastamountofstressto PruningVines yourplantandkeepsyourlandscape�dyin Whethergrapes,kiwis,orroses-viningplants theprocess. all need regular pruning. They also need to be coaxedintover�calgrowthtoproducefruit Year 1: Start by removing 1/3 of the oldest, andflowers.Arosebushmayputoutalong least a�rac�ve branches. Cut them back to horizontal branch, but chances are low that groundlevelwithathinningcut.Ifprevious this branch will bloom if it is growing close to improperpruninghasle�amul�-stemmed theground.Grapesneedproperpruningin evergreenwithatrunk,cutback1/3ofthe late winter to produce a good harvest the least a�rac�ve branches to a main branch. following season. Year 2: Remove another 1/3 of the oldest, Climbing roses make a spectacular display and least a�rac�ve branches with a thinning cut create an elegant entrance into a garden to ground level, or to a main branch. whenproperlymaintained.Imaginethe Year 3: Remove the last 1/3 of the old delight and permanent impression le� on overgrownevergreenbranches.Theplant guests entering your garden through an shouldhaveputoutnewgrowtheachyear archedpergolacoveredinbloomingroses. andasthenewshootsgettobeaboutafoot Cul�vatedclimbingrosesneedsupportand long, �p-prune to encourage lateral maintenancetogrowupward.Each�meyou branching. gobyyourclimbingrosebush,lookfornew Finally, you have your sidewalk back. growththatseemstobeswayinginthewind. Threaditintothetrellis with the �p heading Remember,shrubsandtreesdonotgrow upanditwillsoonse�lenicelyintoitsnew unruly overnight, so be observant. Pruning to posi�on. keepabeau�fullandscapeisverysa�sfying. g n i m r a F e l b a n i a t s u S g n i t r o p p u S 18 www.rogitex.com

Examinethebaseofyourroseandcuttothe BostonIvyorClema�s(forafloweringplant) groundanydeadwoodandanyshootsthat acouplefeetawayfromthehouseandgive are headedawayfromthesupport,giving themsomethingtoclimbonbesidesyour moreenergytothebranchesclimbingthe house.Atrellis of chicken wire a�ached to support. Moreenergyresultsinmoreblooms. yourroofoverhangandsecuredtotheground Roseso�enhavebranchesthatdieover nearyourivyplantswillsoonbecovered.Ivy winter and need to be removed before bud requires a lot of a�en�on and pruning or even break. Roses are a summer blooming shrub, theleast aggressive varie�es can twine somaintenancebeginsinthecolderweather aroundadownspoutorevestrough.If of very early spring. pruning is not an ac�vity you wish to regularly engagein,coveringyourhomeinvinesis Deadwoodonarosebushisbrownandlive likely not the best op�on for you. woodisgreen.Cutbackthedeadwoodright uptothegreensec�onofbranch.Notall Pruning Desirable Vining Plants roses are climbing; hybrid, tea, and shrub Typically, vines do not just climb all by roses need pruning also and should be pruned themselves. Not only must they be pruned, in the same way as summer blooming shrubs. butalsomustbepersuadedtoclimbanarbor or trellis. Vines like Clema�s (Clema�s ssp) Undesirable Vines andhardykiwis(Ac�nidiaarguta)needhelp Therearevariousclinging vines, such as climbing. English Ivy (Hedera ssp) and Trumpet Vine (Campsisradicans) that are s�ll sold in Therearenumerousbestprac�cesfor nursery catalogues but are extremely invasive. pruning vining plants; Clema�s alone has 3 Somuchso,infact,thattheyarebothlisted different methods based on the species and ontheNa�onalInvasiveSpecieslistfromthe whenitflowers.Ge�ngitwrongcanresultin USDA.EnglishIvyandTrumpetVine,among killing the plant, so be sure to keep all care others, cling easily to any surface they are material included with a plant so you can climbing due to their aerial roots. refer to it when comes �me to prune. ManyBri�shco�ageswouldlikelyfallapartif theivycoveringthemdiedorwasremoved. Thatsaid, most vines need to be pruned back Thoseaerial roots a�ach to any rough quite dras�cally in the first few years while surface, par�cularly the mortar between establishing their form. For example, grapes stones or bricks. While the roots will not create a trunk and branching “cordons” are damagesturdybrickorstone,theproblem trained to wire or over a pergola. The arises when a chip or crack allows the aerial “cordons” need to be �ed to the support with roots to move into the mortar and cause the aso�materiallikeknitragswhiletheyare crack to expand, beginning a slow crumbling shaping to the support. Removing excess of the exterior. Ivy traps moisture on your branchesgivesmorefruitandflowersbut wall, se�ng it up for mildew and mold while mustbedoneoverwintertoensureabe�er allowing the lower part of your wall to serve grapeharvestinthefall. as a welcoming homeformiceandother Whilethisdiagrammayseemdras�c, rodents. especially when covering a pergola, you will Agoodwaytoachievethe“ivycovered needtoatleastprunebacktoapairof co�age”lookwithouttherisk,istoplant healthy buds, poin�ng toward the support in 19

Beaware:therearespeciesofwisteriathat are considered invasive species, especially in thesouthernUSA.Trytofindana�ve species such as American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) or Kentucky wisteria (Wisteria macrostachya) as the Chinese and Japanese species are extremely aggressive and can take over yourgarden,houseorshed. Honeysuckle(Loniceraspp)is anotherplantwitha wonderfulfragranceandis available as either a shrub or a vine, but both are considered invasive and aggressive. Be sure andcheckwithyourlocal extension service before buying a par�cular species. There are many species to choose from to plant in a spot youpassfrequently,soyoucano�enenjoy thepleasantaroma! order for the vines to fill out sufficiently over Apergolaortrellis can easily be covered with �me.Notethatgrapevineshavesubstan�al bloominghoneysucklevineswithveryli�le supports. Most vines need a lot more support coaxing because they twine around supports. thanyouimaginewhenyouini�allyplant Honeysuckleshavealongbloomseason,but them.Vines,like shrubs and trees, need to be mostspeciesneedtobeprunedinlatewinter envisioned in their mature size so that before bud break, allowing them to bloom on support, spacing, and effect on other plants newgrowthcomespring. canall be considered. Whenpruningforbloom,removedamaged, Thewayyoupruneawisteriaissimilarto diseased, or crossing branches. This creates g n i grapevine shaping. Remove any branches that m r air circula�on and allows the plant to give all a F are growing low to the ground by cu�ng back e its energy to the blooming branches. If your l b a to the main branch. A vine will grow on the n i honeysucklevineisold,it mayhavewoody a t s ground(belowthelawnmower)un�litfinds u growthatthebase.Cutbackacoupleof S g somethingtoclimb,perhapsevenpu�ngout n i t branchesnearthegroundtoallownew r o roots in the middle of your yard. A climbing p p shoots to emerge in spring. u S rose will do the same thing. Vining plants have the most diverse pruning Manybookshavebeenwri�enabout needsofanytypeofshrub,tree,orplantso wisteria. It has beau�ful cascades of blue or besuretodothenecessaryresearchbefore purple flowers and is very fragrant. a�emp�ngthatfirstcut. 20 www.rogitex.com

PruningDwarfFruit&OrnamentalTrees Plan�nganorchardofdwarffruittreesis exci�ng whenyouthinkofthepossibilityof growingyourownapples,peaches,pears, or cherries. In the South, you can even oranges, lemons, and limes. Dwarf fruit trees are quite easy to maintain and provide pre�y flowers in spring and fruit in fall. Fruit trees are pruned the same way as ornamental trees, but with some addi�onal pinching back. Dead, diseased, or crossing limbs are removedforop�malplanthealth. Dwarfrootstockisavailable for most fruit trees. The trunk with branches producing flowers and fruit is gra�ed onto a root chosen for hardiness and not fruit quality. Perhaps therootstockwill survive into growing zone 3 or will produce a dwarf tree, no ma�er what Ge�ngfruittothetablerequirespa�ence. variety is gra�ed onto it. Appletreescantake2-5yearstoproduce Thereareafewrulesaboutgrowingfruit. their first fruit, while dwarf trees will bear fruit more quickly. Fruit trees o�en set far too 1. Makesureyourchosenvarietywillgrow manyfruitsthanthetreehasenergyto in your growing zone. Oranges will not producewell.Theflowersandfruitsstartto growinzone5andapplesarenot budonshortknobbybranchescalledspurs, recommendedforzone8. that grow off a main branch. Thinning these 2. Take note of the pests and diseases that fruits before they mature will improve the yourdesiredfruit trees may be subject quality of those le� behind. A tree that is le� to and howtobestcontrolthem. with an abundanceoffruit this year will 3. All fruit trees, even those labeled self- producemuchlessthefollowingyearasitwill fer�le, need a second variety that is a needtore-energizeitself. Avoid the “feast or compa�blepollinatortosetfruit. famine”cycleofyourfruittreesbysimply 4. Cut all suckers back from the base of a pinching or knocking off excess developing gra�edtreeastheyaregrowingfrom fruit, leaving one or two fruits per fruit spur. therootstockandarenotnecessaryfor thetreetothrive. Somefruitbearingplantsarenottreesbut 5. Even though they bloom in the spring, shrubs: Raspberries, blackberries, currents, they need to be pruned in late winter andgooseberriesareallmul�-stemmed before bud swell. shrubs and need the same pruning as ornamentalshrubs.Frui�ngshrubsusually 21

h�ps://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2019/08/07/how-to-prune-grape-vines-cane-and-spur-pruning-explained/ years and wonderedwhy–perhapsyou give a small harvest the second growing weren’t pruning them properly. Determine season. Enoughforoutofhandea�ngifyou whichareyourspringandsummerbloomers, get there before the birds. Ne�ng over fruit thensetupapruningschedule.Justbecause busheswill meanmoreforyou. you’ve lived in an overgrown landscape for HowtoBeginPruning years doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. If you’ve moved into a new home to you, the best pruning is no pruning for a year. Observe Pruning is both an art and a science. Knowing growthhabitsandonlypruneoutdead, thenatural form of a deciduous shrub, for diseased, or rubbing branches. Try to iden�fy example,beforemakinganycutswillmake yourlandscapeplan�ngssoyoucanpruneat yourlandscapingeasier. Figh�ng to keep a theproper�me.Determinewhicharespring spreading shrub in a conical form is a g n bloomers,whichsummer,andifyouhave i m hopeless ba�le. Nature always wins. r a F someeverbloomers.Thenyoucandevelopa e l b a pruning schedule. Keep a journal of what n i Awell-prunedshrub,tree,orvineis ,and a t s bloomedwhen–trustme,youwon’t u S healthier. I hope this informa�on has helped g n remembernextyear.Andyoudon’twantto i t r bothtypesof“pruners,”you’renotin o p p pruneall the blooms off a Forsythia in the u overwhelmandyouhaveabe�erideawhy S middleofSeptember,doyou? you’re pruning and what steps to take next. Therehavebeenmanybookswri�enonthis Haveyoubeenwatchingyourlandscape topic. With this introduc�on I hope you go on becomeovergrownovertheyears?Now’sthe to further study. like me, you’ve killed many shrubs over the 22 www.rogitex.com

Rogitex inc. Is a family-owned and operated business that believes in theimportanceofregenera�veandsustainablegrowingprac�cesfora brighter future. Our line of products provide sustainable solu�ons for gardeners, homesteaders, farmers and all who love to grow. Follow@soilforhumanityonSocialMediatogetinformedandinspired aboutsoilhealth,organicgardening,sustainablefarmingandmore. www.rogitex.com Supporting Sustainable Farming 23