Landscaping can be a chore for any homeowner. Luckily, with a little hard work it always pays off when the warmer months come along. Taking care of your plants is one way to add curb appeal to your house. One technique to help your plants is pruning. Pruning is the removal of plant parts that are not used by the plant, but still require energy. By pruning, you’re allowing the plant to focus more energy on growing fruit, flowers, and stronger limbs. However, pruning can be difficult and if not done right can cause more harm than good. Here are the basics to get you started on the right path to becoming a pruning expert.
Planning
Pruning should be done in a specific order starting with the dead limbs. These broken limbs should be cut all the way to the root to ensure this from happening again in the future. The next step is to begin cutting lateral branches, allowing you to shape the plant in the way that looks best. This can be beneficial if your limited with space and don’t want plants to get in the way of each other. It’s important you keep the plants shape consistent and don’t keep changing it’s growth pattern.
Timing
Lucky for homeowners, pruning can be done at any time of the year. This being said, pruning is normally performed during late winter or early spring when plants are dormant. It’s recommended that pruning does not take place right after growth develops in the plants because they will have their main food storage in the roots and stems. Cutting this can hurt the plant and cause it to stop growing properly.
Equipment
Using the correct tools is as important as the technique and can help provide proper cuts. The most common equipment used for pruning is pruning shears, lopping shears, and pruning saws. These tools need to be properly cared for and kept sharp to ensure clean cuts. The tools come in different sizes depending on the size and type of plants you will be cutting. As a tip, when cutting a plant that has been diseased it’s highly recommended to sanitize the sheers afterwards to make sure you’re not spreading the disease to a healthy plant.
Pruning can enhance plant growth and leave your yard looking great year round. Bruss Landscaping is committed to leaving your landscaping in the best condition as possible. Whether you need new landscaping or help with the maintenance of your yard, trust the experts at Bruss Landscaping for all your exterior landscaping needs this year.
