When to Prune Michelia alba? Detailed Pruning Methods

When to prune Michelia alba

The best time to prune Michelia alba is between mid-to-late April and May, after the flowers fade and before the leaf buds break. We prune to stimulate the dormant buds and lateral buds at the nodes to sprout again. In deciding when to prune Michelia alba, our aim is to stop the existing branches from elongating and instead concentrate nutrients on the axillary buds so they sprout new branches and leaves. This reduces nutrient consumption and produces more flowers.

Generally no pruning is done during the flowering period, because Michelia alba branches heal poorly and should not be heavily pruned. You only need to promptly deal with overly dense branches, leggy branches, dead branches and diseased or pest-infested branches to keep the shape attractive. This prevents infection by pathogens.

When pruning, avoid any contact between the cut and the slightest moisture so the cut stays dry as early as possible. This greatly blocks the intrusion of pathogens and lowers the chance of bacterial infection, so pruning must be done on a sunny day.

How to prune Michelia alba

1. Branch bending

Bending branches can effectively change the direction of Michelia alba branches. Branch bending should focus mainly on lateral branches or the small branches on them. By bending branches to open up the branch angle and change branch direction, you encourage new branches and the formation of flower buds.

2. Pruning

When to prune Michelia alba? Michelia alba must be pruned in the hot midsummer season when it grows vigorously. The method is to choose a spot where new shoots have grown 3-5 cm and prune there. After pruning, immediately apply fungicide and auxin to the pruning site, then wrap the outside tightly with plastic film.

3. Breaking the terminal bud

During the vigorous growth period of Michelia alba, if the terminal bud is not properly restricted, it will affect the growth and development of the lateral buds. We can pierce and damage the young terminal buds of vigorously growing branches with a needle, which allows us to shape Michelia alba better.