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    Home » Gardening

    Basic Pruning Tips for a Beautiful Full and Lush Garden

    April 14, 2019 by Patti Estep 2 Comments

    Pruning a tree peony

    Simple garden maintenance like pruning doesn't have to be complicated and helps to create a beautiful garden. Learn some basic pruning tips on what to prune, when, and how to do it.

    Garden hand pruners

    Many people new to gardening fear basic pruning of their plants. Though it may seem complicated you can maintain your garden pretty easily by following a few simple steps.

    The key to flowering plants is knowing when they produce their flower buds so that you don't remove all the branches before they have a chance to put on their show.

    Sharpen and clean your hand pruners and loppers and prepare for spring pruning with the following basic tips:

    Basic Pruning Tips

    What Do You Need to Prune?

    Everything may need a little pruning specifically:

    • Any dead materials which include many perennials which you decided not to cut back before winter.
    • Crossing branches of shrubs; prune to the base.
    • Suckers on trees and other grafted plants that are coming up from the base.

    hydrangea limelight in late winter

    When Should You Prune?

    Late Winter/Early Spring for the following:

    • Grasses
    • Shrubs that bloom on new wood (flower buds will form on this year’s growth) including butterfly bush (Buddleia), beautyberry (Callicarpa), oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ (H. arborescens), hydrangea ‘Limelight’( H. paniculata)

    Plants that bloom on old wood began producing buds last year and should be pruned just after they flower if needed.

    • Mophead hydrangeas (H macrophylla), azalea, forsythia, weigela, spirea, rhododendron
    • Clematis  - if it blooms before June don’t prune

    callicarpa aka beauty berry after spring pruning

    Where On The Plant Should You Prune?

    Hard pruning:

    • 6 to 8 inches for butterfly bushes, and beautyberry bushes for all canes/branches. Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' can also be cut back vigorously although new canes may have trouble holding the weight of the large flowers. I usually cut some way back and cut others only slightly.
    • ¼ to 1/3 of all canes/branches on others that are crowded and need to be rejuvenated.

    Pruning for Shaping

    • To create a specific or natural shape that you like.

    pruning tree peony in early spring

    How Exactly Do You Prune Plants?

    When cutting back or shaping cut 45-degree angle, generally above a leaf or flower node.

    Plants like grasses can be sheared to ground level.

    Pruning doesn't have to be something scary. It's a great way to enjoy the garden in the early spring before it's actually warm enough to plant flowers and you will feel so good about your efforts in the long run.

     

    Patti signature


    P.S. Want More? Check out this Pruning Cheat Sheet. See more basic tips and ideas on my Gardening Page.

     

    Click Here to Save to Pinterest!

     

     

     

     

     

    More Gardening

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kazi Baki Ullah

      June 28, 2020 at 3:07 pm

      I learn basic pruning tip, after pruning apply any anti fungal paste on pruning point?

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        June 28, 2020 at 3:58 pm

        Kazi, I haven't noticed a need to apply anti-fungal treatment when pruning.

        Reply

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