A Quick Guide To Pruning

Winter, or fall as they say in America, isFor most older rose bushes, a light pruning will be
traditionally the best time to prune back yourenough, especially if you take this opportunity, to
plants, shrubs and trees. This is best done whileenrich the soil with compost.
they are dormant and by thinning and clearing oldAfter you have pruned your roses, it is a good
dead sections, the plant is at it's best, to start toidea to remove all leaves, especially those that do
new growth and buds in the Spring. For Southernnot look healthy. Contrary to common belief,
hemisphere gardens, that time is now. For thosethese do not benefit the plant and only serve to
living in the Northern hemisphere, get ready andattract pests and diseases.
learn a few tips.Hard pruning is the term given to the ruthless
There is actually something therapeutic about thepruning of old roses and those planted too close
task of cutting back and cleaning up those unrulytogether. You will need to regenerate growth, in
plants in your garden. Not only do you stimulatethese plants. Here, you should cut the stems right
growth, but you also get the chance to tidy upback, to about 2 inches above the ground and
and get access to the soil.remove all sideways growing shoots, stems and
Many people are afraid of pruning, lest theyforks.
damage the plants. This seems to be particularlyMost of the plants in your garden, can be pruned
true with roses and fruit trees. Rule of thumbwithout risk of damage. Roses are probably the
says it is perfectly safe and simple, but don'tmost temperamental and delicate of all, so if you
overdo your pruning.use these guidelines, you should be alright.
The very best time, theoretically, to do yourWhen pruning fruit trees, look at the tree from all
pruning, if you are in the Southern hemisphere, isangles and you will see where shaping is required.
the 3rd week of July up to the latter part ofPruning helps to keep the trees healthy, vibrant
August.. If in the Northern hemisphere, this wouldand free from dead wood. Again, the principle is
be around the 3rd week of January, through toto encourage new healthy growth and in this way,
the end of February.to get the best fruit yield.
All types of rose bush can be pruned, except forCut away all dead branches and twigs and clean
the Heritage and Banksia varieties. When pruningout the central growth. You should also remove all
climbing rosebushes, first untie the stems, removemessy, sideways growth. Trim the remaining main
the old growth, and carefully reattach and supportgrowth branches, by about two thirds. With
the stems. Remove any side stems from thepeaches and nectarines, be careful not to remove
main plant. With standard roses, cut back stemsthe new stalks, produced in the last season, as
and branches to about 2 inches and remove allthese are fruit bearing. Plums, apricots and
dead twigs.cherries don't need much pruning at all.
I am often asked about the angle of the cut.Well, that is a quick guide to pruning and should
Don't worry too much about this. A straight cut ishelp to invigorate your garden. The only tools you
best, but not always easy to achieve. Justwill need, are gardening gloves, to protect your
remember to keep the thick blade of yourhands, a pair of long handled loppers, to reach the
cutters, or secateurs, facing up and away fromhigher branches and to give you more leverage to
you. Failing to do this, might bruise the stem.cut thicker branches and the usual pair of
Most roses will thrive on being pruned, particularlygardening secateurs, for normal use.
if they never performed well in the last summer.