The Complete Guide to Plant Pruning Techniques: Pruning Is a Must-Learn for Growing Flowers

Pruning is an indispensable and important part of plant care. Mastering the correct pruning methods can help you cultivate a beautiful tree shape. Through pruning, you can also further regulate the distribution of nutrients in the plant, inhibit excessive vegetative growth, and promote flower bud differentiation, achieving the effect of young trees flowering and fruiting earlier, and it can also extend the flowering and fruiting periods. It is fair to say the benefits are many. Today I will introduce plant pruning methods to everyone, so keep them firmly in mind!

1

Dormant-season pruning

Deciduous trees are mostly pruned during this period. Evergreen trees do not have an obvious dormant period, and winter pruning will have adverse effects on the tree body, so pruning is usually carried out in late spring after the severe cold season has passed.

2

Growing-season pruning

Also called summer pruning. The pruning time should not be too late, otherwise it easily promotes the growth of secondary shoots and consumes nutrients, which is unfavorable to the growth of new shoots. At the same time, the pruning amount should be appropriate; excessive pruning will reduce nutrient accumulation and is unfavorable to plant growth.

3

Pruning of deciduous trees

1) Pay attention to maintaining the growth vigor of the terminal shoot:

On the branch nodes, leave a first-level framework branch every 20-25 cm. On the framework branches, the apical growth advantage should also be maintained, and at regular intervals leave another second-level branch, and so on. Remove excessive-growth branches, drooping branches, and so on;

2) Evergreen broadleaf trees:

Keep the central main branch well, handle the framework branches reasonably, and keep the branches evenly distributed;

3) Evergreen conifers:

When pruning, just pay attention to cultivating and balancing growth vigor. Under normal circumstances, no pruning is carried out, but be careful to avoid forming a double-trunk, double-leader phenomenon.

4

Hedge pruning

Hedges generally have strong sprouting ability and strong branching ability, and are tolerant of pruning. Generally, formal pruning is the main approach, keeping the outer shape neat and beautiful, and avoiding hollowness inside and bareness at the lower part.

5

Pruning of vines

Generally, full shaping and pruning are seldom carried out. The main approach is to shorten side branches, cut off diseased and pest-damaged branches and dead branches, and properly thin out weak branches.

6

Pruning of spring-flowering plants

Taking redbud (Cercis chinensis), crabapple (Malus spectabilis), and white magnolia (Magnolia denudata) as examples, prune within 1-2 weeks after flowering to reduce nutrient consumption, promote more side branches, and increase the amount of flowering the following year. In the winter dormant period, when flower buds have basically formed and flower buds and leaf buds can be clearly distinguished, branches may be properly thinned, removing slender weak branches, diseased and dead branches, and sprouting branches; branches without flower buds may be properly cut off.

7

Pruning of summer- and autumn-flowering plants

Taking pomegranate (Punica granatum), rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), and crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) as examples, prune before flowering; during the dormant period, shorten the branches to encourage the production of robust branches in spring.

8

Pruning of winter-flowering plants

Taking wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia blakeana), and plum blossom (Prunus mume) as examples, after the winter and spring flowers fade, cut back the flowering branches in turn, leaving 3-5 nodes per branch, to promote axillary buds to sprout and form more new side branches. During the growing period, regularly thin out excessive-growth branches, densely growing branches, overlapping branches, and so on.

9

Pruning of plants that flower multiple times a year

Taking Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis) and crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) as examples, after winter begins shorten all branches to promote the sprouting of strong branches. After the flowers fade, promptly cut off the spent flowers, and during the growing period promptly remove sprouting buds to promote the formation of new flower buds.

10

General procedure for pruning

1) Observe:

Observe the inherent growth habits of the pruning subject and the specific site conditions, whether the distribution structure of the tree's main and side branches is reasonable, whether the growth vigor between the main and side branches and between the upper and lower parts of the crown is balanced, whether the relationship between vegetative growth and reproductive growth is coordinated, and so on. After comprehensive analysis, determine the corresponding pruning technical measures.

2) Remove:

First saw off some perennial large branches, even scaffold branches, that affect the tree's growth and development, damage the tree shape structure, disrupt the tree shape, or have suffered disease and pest damage, so that the tree basically meets the purpose and requirements of shaping and pruning.

3) Cut:

On the basis that the tree body's structural form basically meets the target requirements, then carry out specific pruning of each main and side branch, following the principle of keeping strong branches and not keeping weak ones, and keeping outward-facing branches and not keeping inward-facing ones. Using techniques such as heading back and thinning branches, make the tree's shaping more complete.

4) Check:

After pruning is basically completed, carefully recheck the entire tree body, correct or supplement pruning at places that were wrongly cut or missed, and, from the perspective of the group, check what influence adjacent trees have on one another and make adjustments.

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