| A most lucrative area of income is pruning of | | | | full shape homeowners wish. |
| shrubs, hedges, rose bushes and small fruit trees. | | | | With some plants like fruit trees this can be a |
| Safety is of greatest importance when working | | | | problem, since undesirable watershoots grow |
| on trees and shrubs. If you use a chainsaw, you | | | | from the base of the pruning cuts, making the |
| should be aware of all safety issues, always wear | | | | plant even more difficult to manage. Whenever |
| the appropriate safety clothing and never operate | | | | you prune, consider the growth that the pruning |
| a chainsaw without a license. | | | | will stimulate and prune for next year?s growth - |
| Pruning Tools | | | | not just for today. |
| Secateurs: Bypass types are best since they do | | | | The main pruning rule is to prune after flowering, |
| not crush wood as much as the anvil types. Buy | | | | as the plant will be able to put on new growth to |
| a robust pair that is comfortable for your hands. | | | | flower on next year. BUT DO NOT USE THIS |
| Felco are the best, but also one of the most | | | | RULE WITHOUT CHECKING THE PLANT. |
| expensive. Even so, most professional gardeners | | | | You must be very careful to check what plant it |
| will not consider using anything but Felco. | | | | is you are pruning as some plants flower on the |
| Look Felco up on the internet to see their full | | | | previous years growth and some on the same |
| range. Buying over the internet can work out | | | | year or even on two year old wood. |
| much cheaper, or buy from a show to get show | | | | There is no loss of face in keeping a pruning book |
| prices. | | | | in the van and checking before you prune, only |
| Lopper: Again, purchase the bypass types. These | | | | fools would not do this. One of the best |
| are long-handled secateurs that are extremely | | | | gardeners I know always carries the RHS pruning |
| useful for cutting branches from 1 to about 5 cm | | | | guide in his van. |
| in diameter. They save a great amount of time | | | | Some plants require pruning more than once a |
| over saws and are also useful for getting into | | | | year like roses and wisteria. |
| tight places. Many brands are available, including | | | | Remember that if you do not check when and |
| Felco. Make certain you buy a pair with rubber | | | | how the plant can and should be pruned you may |
| stops between the handles, to lessen work | | | | cause the plant to die by bleeding to death or |
| stress. (Incl. in start up package) | | | | allowing disease to infect the plant. For instance, |
| Saw: Pruning saws are very worthwhile tools as | | | | you should never prune any plant in the Prunus |
| long as you purchase the correct types and keep | | | | genus in the autumn or winter, only in the |
| them clean & sharp. Buy any of the curved-blade | | | | summer when in full sap flow. Pruning them in the |
| saws, but avoid the bow saw types (extremely | | | | winter will leave them open to a disease called |
| difficult to use in tight spots). Pruning saws cut on | | | | silver leaf and bacterial canker. |
| the pull stroke, and are practical for cutting wood | | | | Why prune and types of pruning |
| up to about 10cm in diameter. There are many | | | | As stated above, pruning often stimulates new |
| good brands on the market, and many of the | | | | growth in plants to give more flowers and fruits |
| folding saws are excellent for all-round use. (Incl. in | | | | and to encourage plants to bush out. Also, pruning |
| start up package) | | | | is very important if dead or diseased wood is |
| If your customers want hedges cut, invest in a | | | | present so it can be removed. |
| good 2' stroke hedge cutter. Buy the best you | | | | Pruning can also be used to reduce plant size |
| can and keep them well maintained and they will | | | | when space is limited, and lighten a dense canopy |
| last for many years. | | | | of growth. |
| Pruning Principles | | | | Plants like roses and other flowering plants only |
| A healthy plant will wound over best without any | | | | flower to produce seed so they can reproduce. |
| additional treatments of a pruning heal paint. | | | | When they have flowered they will stop as seed |
| These, even though some may be anti-bacterial, | | | | has been produced, so by removing the dead |
| have gone out of fashion and the thinking now is | | | | flowers before they start to produce seed they |
| to let nature heal the plant. Some schools of | | | | will need to produce more flowers. This |
| thought say they can seal disease in. Often when | | | | dead-heading can prolong flower production for |
| you prune, the removal of growth from the top | | | | months longer than they would otherwise do. |
| of the plant will stimulate growth either from the | | | | When you prune make sure your secateurs are |
| base or from buds lower down on the branches. | | | | sharp as a clean cut heals faster than a ragged |
| This is all to do with apical dominance which you | | | | one. Also a blunt pair of secateurs may crush the |
| will learn about on your Hadlow training course. In | | | | stem and damage the plant. |
| most cases this is advantageous, as it gives the | | | | |