pruning roundup: what shrubs i prune when

The gardening task which most gardeners dread, especially those new to gardening, is often pruning plants. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out how and when to begin pruning. The primary concern is that we will take too much of the plant off.

This species of plants originate in central China. The closely related species R. molle japonicum come from Japan. Both these deciduous varieties are relatives of the popular Ghent and Knapp Hill hybrids.

Conifers can be kept neat and tidy by regular pruning. Equally Conifers can become feature plants with there own personalities.

Lavender will not sprout willingly from old wood. So when pruning make certain some green wood remains. Lavenders bloom on the stems that grew that year. Pruning is designed to encourage more flowering branches and give plants a longer life.

I was reading an old book by Adam the Gardener the Sunday Express tipster and looking at his suggestions for January.

The extreme sport of ‘extreme pruning’ has just missed out on an award for this effort on an open planned garden tree in Yeadon. It will be revisited as it buds and leafs up later in the year. At the moment is strikes an interesting pose.

I have 3 good sized compost bins and the Metro district council supplies and takes away a brown bin  each month (for an annual fee). However that is still not enough at this time of year and I can fill the car boot many times over to take thick hedge prunings and woody bits to the local recycling center.

Pruning Tomato Plants correctly not only boosts productivity but also helps them to stay healthy and disease free while making sure it speeds up the ripening process. Let’s learn everything in detail!

Muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) are native to the Carolinas, making them a relatively low-maintenance fruit that is well adapted to our warm and humid climate. Gardeners experience very few problems with this small fruit. However, one of the problems I hear about from time to time is low fruit yield. This problem can be attributed to many different reasons such as sunlight, poor pollination, nutrition, or lack of proper pruning. Proper pruning should be done on an annual basis to keep the plants at a manageable size and to allow the plant to use its energy for fruit production versus shoot and leaf production. Muscadines should be pruned when they are dormant, so now is the perfect time. Keep in mind that the vines will drip sap or “bleed” if pruned too late but this does not harm the plant.

Many people get confused about when to prune hydrangeas. It is essential to know which species or cultivar you have to determine when to prune.

Now is the time to tame those apple trees with some dormant pruning. Apple trees have already set buds for the upcoming growing season and are in need of a little haircut for optimum fruit set and health. When pruning an apple tree, your first job is to get a full tree view.

While romantics look to mid-February as a time to impress their favorite Valentine with chocolates and flowers, experienced gardeners know now is time to show their plants love through careful pruning! In a recent blog, Kerrie Roach discussed fruit tree pruning. Here, I will concentrate on ornamental landscape plants. While it is time to prune many plants, as usual, there is an exception to the rule. Do not prune plants that flower from late winter to mid-May, such as azalea, forsythia, and weigela, in winter. Gardenias also fall into this category but don’t bloom until June. Pruning now removes flower blooms resulting in a sparse spring floral display. Wait until after these plants complete flowering this spring to prune. For an extensive list of the optimal pruning times for individual plants, visit HGIC 1053 Pruning Shrubs.