Pruning 101
This is the scariest part of gardening… not! Nothing gives me more satisfaction than going after trees, shrubs and plants with a sharp pair of pruners. Revitalizing that plant and cultivating it into my ideal vision is so satisfying! Plus, the brainless activity is a great means of meditation. Gardening gives you the ability to really just be in a space, with yourself, the soil and the sounds of nature. How often do we get that?
Here are some tips on how to get down to pruning like an expert.
FIRST – The right tools make all the difference. Hand pruners will get you through 90% of what you’re doing in the garden. Having a small pair of snips is great for more delicate pruning. Loppers and hand saws are for bigger jobs. (We’ll do a separate blog on that.) My go-to pruners are the Felco #6 I like the way they fit in my hand and they’re very versatile. I’ve had my set for nearly 20 years. I love the red handles, great for finding them wherever I last left them. I don’t oil and sharpen them as often as I should, which speaks volumes about their ability to handle neglect! Most places that do chainsaw sharpening can sharpen these for you if you’re not up to the task. If you want the pruners and snips, you can get a great value set here.
Gloves – I had this stupid idea for a while that not getting dirt under my nails. meant I wasn’t enjoying the full experience of gardening. That being said, I still like the “feel” of what I’m doing, as gardening is a full sensory experience. Pick a pair of gloves that works for you, and have a couple pair. I find I wear the index finger and thumb webbing out in a season. Make sure they 1. Fit 2. Are breathable and 3. Protect your hands. Leather palms are great for dealing with rude plants, like raspberries. I like these PUG17-S (small, but they have other sizes) gloves for general handiwork – stacking wood, raking, pickup up leaves and sticks.For planting and digging, I like leather palmed ones, with reinforced fingertips.
Have a plan – Some plants like being pruned in spring versus fall. Know what you have and when they set their buds. If you prune a Rhododendron or Azalea in spring, for example, you’re cutting off all the flower buds. Prune them after they’ve passed.
Rules of thumb
- The 3 D’s – Start here, by pruning off “dead, diseased, and dying” first.
- 30% – Most plants can sustain a heavy pruning of no more than 30%. If you attack the plant and take off too much, you inhibit its ability to photosynthesize and recover from the shock. Don’t go hog-wild.
- Prune on a 45* – Pruning takes practice and finesse. Always make cuts at a 45* angle, not straight across.
- Prune to a node – a node is where a leaf or little bud emerges from the stem. Prune to just above that node, but not too closely. You don’t want to leave too much of the stem either, because it’ll die off and cause more damage.
- (Will you be perfect? NO! But try this, get the hang of it, and you’ll dial in the proper technique with time.)
- “Nip it in the bud” – Have you ever snipped the top of a plant off and noticed how it flourishes? It gets bushier? That leader at the top of the plant often emits a hormone that inhibits the growth of the shoots below. By nipping that top bud, you remove that growth inhibitor, stimulating growth.
Pruned plants are happy plants! Use the tips when you’re cutting flowers, too! When you’re all done in the garden, don’t forget to take care of your hands. They can dry out pretty badly. The best moisturizer I’ve found is the Gardener’s Ultra Moisturizing Therapy by Crabtree & Evelyn.
Want more information? Check out: https://www.almanac.com/pruning-101-guide-pruning-trees-and-shrubs