Tips on Pruning Plants

Why prune plants?

Pruning your plants helps to keep them in the best possible shape, giving them all the TLC they need to continue to thrive. Regardless of whether your plants are grown indoors or outside, a little trim can give them the best boost.

When it comes to pruning, it’s important to ensure it’s done right. Over-pruning can be hazardous, and can open up the floodgates for harmful pathogens and pests to make their way in. Poor pruning can also lead to structural damage that will inhibit the plant further down the line.

With all of this in mind, we have compiled some handy tips and trips for at-home pruning, so you can take the best possible care of your prized plants.

When is the best time to prune?

The best time to prune your fruiting and flowering plants is when they are no longer in bloom. With new flowers, you should wait until they have had their first bloom, and then prune right at the end of the flower’s growing season.

Plants like shrubs and trees, which blossom in the springtime, need the old buds to be pruned in order for them to produce new ones. Other plants need year-round pruning. It can certainly be a little bit confusing at first, so take some time to research the specific plant that you want to care for, and find out its unique pruning needs.

What pruning tools do I need?

Pruning can feel like a daunting task for a beginner gardener, but being armed with the right pruning tools is a sure-fire way to set yourself up for success. It’s best to gather all of the equipment you’ll need prior to pruning, so that once you’re ready to start, you can really dig in. The better the quality of the tools, the longer they will last on your gardening journey, and the better the job they will do each time.

It is imperative to ensure all tools are cleaned properly after each use. This is because some soil can be full of plant diseases, which can be easily transferred to other plants if proper cleaning and precautions are not taken. This can be done with an organic disinfectant spray, and while you’re at it, consider sharpening the blades, and applying linseed oil to prevent rusting.

Loppers

These have long handles with short sturdy blades at the end. They’re best used for pruning thick branches that are hard to get to, as they enable you to reach into places where you may not otherwise be able to access.

Saw

You’ll need a good saw that’s at least six inches to help cut thick branches.

Shears

Shears look like very heavy duty scissors. They’re great for trimming thinner branches and leaves, and any other plant part that’s not so thick.

Hand Pruners

These have short thick blades, which is helpful for cutting thinner branches and stems that are up to about an inch thick.

Making the cut

There are a range of different pruning methods out there, and it’s important to choose the appropriate one for your garden.

The initial cut in pruning can be nerve-wracking, so take your time and don’t rush the process. Each cut should be made safely above the bud, not so close as to risk damaging it. 45° is the ideal angle, and the cut should follow the same slant, going in the same direction as the bud is pointing, allowing water to run off the top and away from the bud.

When pruning, you can remove weak shoots, giving the strong ones more space to thrive, as well as thinning out any branches that are growing in the way of others. If these are left where they are, they can rub and cause damage.

In larger shrubs, you may also want to thin the centre of the plant. This will leave more space for airflow, and for light to get in, which will improve the overall health of the plant.

If you need a helping hand pruning your plants, or want some expert garden guidance, contact the Jim’s mowing team, who will be eager to help out.