How to properly carry out formative pruning of bushes. Curly pruning of ornamental shrubs in spring

Beautifully flowering and decorative deciduous shrubs are grown in gardens to decorate them at any time of the year. Therefore, it is so important to be able to maintain their beauty by pruning, the purpose of which is to remove dry and damaged shoots, form a crown, stimulate flowering and rejuvenate plants.

Trimming ornamental shrubs in the spring it will help not only maintain the health of the plant, but also give it a certain shape. From this article you will learn how to properly prune ornamental shrubs in spring and autumn.

In order to carry out pruning correctly and in a timely manner, you need to know the developmental characteristics of each specific plant. Thus, those plants that are subject to decorative thinning in the spring are those whose annual growths appear along the perimeter of the crown (viburnum, lilac, cotoneaster, barberry, serviceberry, magnolia, etc.), as well as shrubs whose flowers appear on the shoots of the current year (types of spirea, buddleia, tree and paniculata hydrangeas).

All decorative deciduous species are also subject to annual spring cleaning. Let's take a closer look at the features of pruning the above groups of plants.

Peculiarities

The main purpose of pruning flowering crops is to achieve their abundant flowering. Plants that form annual increments along the perimeter of the crown require minimal thinning. In early spring, before the period of active growth begins, a formative procedure is carried out, removing all dry, intersecting and incorrectly located shoots. It is allowed to remove or trim living shoots to maintain the symmetry of the branches and give the crown a certain shape.

Ornamental plants blooming on the shoots of the current year are greatly thinned out in early spring. The purpose of this procedure is the formation of powerful shoots for future flowering.

Note: Neglecting pruning leads to thickening of the crown and a decrease in the quality of flowering.

You should know that young specimens of this group do not lend themselves to strong cleaning in the first year after planting to allow the root system to develop. In subsequent years, they are pruned in the same way as adult plants, that is, by removing all last year's growth to well-developed buds above the older parts of the stem.

Decorative deciduous species (barberry, mackerel, bladderwort, golden form of black elderberry, etc.) are subject to the same strong spring pruning. It is carried out with the aim of stimulating the active growth of young shoots and achieving maximum decorative effect foliage.

When carrying out spring thinning, remember that this procedure is only a small part of the entire range of measures for caring for ornamental crops. Therefore, try to follow all recommendations regarding the specifics of planting, watering, fertilizing, loosening, pest and weed control. And then your plants will look healthy and beautiful.

Rules

Spring pruning of ornamental shrubs is one of the key stages in caring for these crops. That is why it must be carried out in such a way that the plants only benefit from the procedure.

For correct and high-quality pruning, we advise you to listen to these rules(picture 1):

1. The tool must be clean and well sharpened, rusty tools cannot be used.
2. The cut should pass over a well-developed vegetative bud. Ideally, it should begin at the level of the base of the kidney with reverse side and end above its top. If you make a cut too far from the bud, then a dry knot will form in this place; if it’s too close, the bud will dry out.
3. To remove a large branch, first of all, you need to remove as many shoots as possible from it, and then cut it down in three sections. This will prevent the wood from splitting and deep wounds forming on the bark.
4. The edge of the large cut must be cleaned to prevent moisture from accumulating in the remaining grooves. Then the cut site should be treated with garden varnish or putty. These substances have an antiseptic effect and are impermeable to water. It is recommended to use them 20 minutes after completion of the procedure, but no later than 24 hours.
5. The main principle of pruning is to get more light into the crown. Therefore, once every 2-3 years, severe thinning is carried out almost to the soil surface. On the other hand, the constant removal of all shoots to a certain height will cause thickening of the crown and a deterioration in the quality of flowering. Thus, the plants lose their decorative properties.
6. Shoots of dwarf species must be shortened by one third every year. In this case, both upward-growing and lateral shoots must be removed.

Trimming hedge, it is necessary to ensure that not only the top of the crown is well illuminated, but also Bottom part plants. Therefore, the crowns should be narrower than their bases.

Timing for pruning ornamental shrubs

There is an opinion that all ornamental plants should be pruned in early spring. However, this is not the case, because different types have their own timing of bud break and degree of shoot development. Therefore, in early spring it is possible to thin out only decorative deciduous species and varieties that bloom on the shoots of the current year.

Those shrubs that bloom on last year's shoots should be pruned after flowering. And some ornamental plants do not tolerate such a procedure at all, since they have a low ability to regenerate. Among these species are magnolia, viburnum, flowering and common dogwood, shadberry, hibiscus, etc.

Pruning ornamental shrubs in spring: video

To properly prune ornamental shrubs in the garden, we recommend that you watch the video, which shows in detail all the stages of this process.

Both spring and autumn treatments have a positive effect on growth, flowering quality and longevity ornamental plants, because in a too thick crown, young shoots are suppressed by old branches, which leads to a reduction in the life of the plant as a whole.

However, incorrect or untimely pruning can harm the plant just as much as neglecting this procedure. Let's take a closer look at which shrubs are subject to autumn pruning and how to do it correctly.

Peculiarities

Autumn pruning is good because it gives you the opportunity to slowly complete everything. necessary work, as plants gradually enter a dormant period. The only condition for such a procedure is to carry it out before the air temperature drops to -10 degrees, when there is a risk of injuring the wood.

Note: More often autumn pruning carried out for sanitary purposes, and for sufficiently mature specimens - for the purpose of rejuvenation. Some species are also subject to autumn formative cleaning. This is how they prune tree and paniculate hydrangea, summer-blooming spirea, fieldfare, David's buddleia, shrubby cinquefoil. It is permissible to remove all of these plants. top part current growth, shortening the branches by 10-40 cm.

In autumn, it is recommended to prune varieties that bloom on last year's shoots (crimson, euonymus, bush rowan). Plants such as rosehip, cotoneaster, lilac, and mackerel can be pruned both in early spring, before the sap begins to flow, and in the fall, at the end of the growing season. It is customary to thin out barberry and snowberry in late autumn or early winter. Irgu, privet, and golden currants are subjected to this procedure immediately after flowering.

Rules

Among the rules for removing branches in the fall are the following:

• First of all, dry and broken shoots are removed.
• All cuts must be made at an angle, and their surface must be smooth, without jagged edges. A garden knife will help smooth out the roughness of the cut.
• Tools must be sharp and clean;
• It is necessary to select the right tools depending on the goal. For example, shoots with a diameter of 2 cm or less are shortened with pruning shears, and for thicker branches you will need a garden hacksaw;
• Pruning should be done carefully, trying not to catch neighboring shoots;
• The cut location should not be too close to the bud and not too far from it, since in the first case it may be damaged, and in the second - the formation of a dry, leafless knot.
• At sanitary cleaning immature shoots are removed down to the debarked part of the branch, capturing it, leaving 2 cm above the bud.
• Heavy pruning stimulates the growth of weak branches, but healthy and developed shoots do not need it.

The cut areas must be treated with an antiseptic, for example, garden varnish, and no later than one day after removing the branch.

Fruit pruning berry bushes on the picture

Unlike a tree, which has only one perennial axis (trunk), shrubs form many axes (branches), although not so durable, but quickly begin to bear fruit and are constantly replaced. Therefore, regular sanitary and anti-aging pruning is especially important for shrubs. It is also necessary to thin out the bushes in a timely manner - remove thickening branches. Dense bushes are more susceptible to diseases and pests, and controlling them is difficult. Since less gets into the center of a thickened bush sunlight, then the fruits grow only on the peripheral branches, and the overall yield from the bush is much lower. The winter hardiness of buds located inside a thickened bush is often reduced.

The task of pruning a young berry bush is to form a well-developed bush. After planting, the shoots are cut at a height of 3-4 buds from the ground. Subsequently, strong shoots grow from these buds, and weak shoots are cut out or shortened. If there are many weak shoots, they are pruned more strongly to stimulate branching.

Shrub branches are cut strictly at ground level. Before pruning berry bushes, remember that leaving stumps is an open gate for pathogens, and besides, the bush looks untidy.

Subsequently, the main task of pruning fruit and berry bushes is to prevent thickening. To do this, weak and low-yielding branches are removed to the base, leaving no stumps.

How to prune fruit bushes for the purpose of rejuvenation? Rejuvenating pruning of aging shrubs - such as currants, gooseberries and honeysuckle (raspberries and blackberries due to their biological features stand apart) restores fruiting for several years. All weak branches are cut out, and strong ones are shortened above a well-developed lateral branch.

In currants and gooseberries, the bush consists of shoots different years, the shoots of the current year are called replacement shoots, zero or basal shoots. They are formed from buds located below ground level. Without pruning, the shoot-forming ability of these shrubs decreases with age.

Generative buds of shrubs are located on lateral shoots, which can be of different lengths and not the same different varieties- from miniature ringlets to shoots several tens of centimeters long, on which vegetative and generative buds alternate. The first option is often found in black currants, the second – in red and white currants and gooseberries, but intermediate options are also possible.

In the fall, fruit-bearing shoots of raspberries and blackberries, old, diseased and weak branches of currants, gooseberries and honeysuckle are cut out, and drooping branches are shortened to make caring for the bushes easier. You can trim shrubs in the spring.

The video “Pruning fruit bushes” shows how this agrotechnical technique is performed:

Formation of fruit and berry bushes on a trunk

Formation of white currants on a trunk in the photo
White currant in the photo

IN last years when vegetable gardens and orchards are becoming not only productive, but also decorative; standard berry bushes have become fashionable. Due to the fragility of the branches, black currants are absolutely unsuitable for standard crops.

The easiest way to form a trunk is to form fruit bushes such as red (and white) currants. The best shoot is selected from a young bush, and the rest are cut out annually at ground level. From the very beginning, the shoot is tied to a support on which it will remain for life. Red currants are characterized by branching in the upper part of the shoot, so we can say that nature itself took care of the beauty of the trunk, and all branches appearing below the planned crown must be removed.

Formation of red currants on a trunk in the photo
Red currant in the photo

Red currants can also be grafted onto a golden currant trunk.

In the same way, you can form chokeberry, although it is more effective and rational to graft it onto a standard rowan tree. The grafted plant will be longer lasting than the rooted one.

Formation of gooseberries on a trunk in the photo
Gooseberry in the photo

You can also grow gooseberries in standard form, but you won’t be able to form a beautiful and durable standard from its own branches. Gooseberries are grafted onto a red or golden currant trunk; accordingly, the shoots of the rootstock must be removed in a timely manner. However, when the grafted gooseberry begins to age, it is reasonable to leave one shoot of the rootstock, let it grow and make new vaccination to replace the old one.

Formation of fruit and berry bushes on a trellis

Formation of red currants on a trellis (photo)
Red currants on a trellis (photo)

Currants can be grown in trellis form using approximately the same algorithm as standard forms. Several bushes are planted in a row along the trellis, all shoots that stick out from the plane of the trellis are removed, or they are directed onto the trellis and tied up. The advantage of the trellis method of forming berry bushes is saving the area occupied by the bushes, good illumination and, consequently, a high yield. A trellis can be used to zone a site, for example, to surround a vegetable garden area with it.

Next, to form fruit bushes on the trellis, you need to form a beautiful crown, and pruning shears can help here. The compact crown is stronger; in addition, do not forget about the angles at which the branches depart from the “trunk”. Some branches may require tying to a support. When the standard currant ages (depending on agricultural technology and variety, this will happen in 8-15 years), you need to choose a new young shoot and start all over again.

In the fall, after the harvest and the completion of the main work, life on the plots does not stop - the next stage begins for gardeners. The time has come to prepare trees and shrubs for winter and the upcoming season. A number of activities need to be carried out. This includes feeding, covering plants, and pruning. It is pruning and shaping that will allow ornamental and fruit shrubs to overwinter, and in the spring they will be provided with a lush, beautiful, healthy crown. The procedure is carried out after the sap flow period has ended, the crops have gotten rid of their foliage, but before frost sets in (the temperature at night should not fall below -5 degrees).

Types of shrub pruning

Based on the purpose, pruning is divided into the following groups:

1. 1. Sanitary.
2. 2. Formative.
3. 3. Rejuvenating.

Each has its own characteristics, rules and nuances.

Sanitary - for disease prevention

Autumn sanitary pruning is recommended for absolutely all shrubs and trees, fruit and ornamental. The purpose of this event is to prevent the development of all infectious processes, prevent putrefactive formations, and get rid of old, damaged, broken and dry dead branches. After this procedure, the bushes are better ventilated. The branches turned inside the plant are completely removed, unripe ones are cut off at a distance of about 3 cm from the bud.

Shaping - for a beautiful appearance

Formative pruning in late autumn is practiced only for shrubs that bloom in summer period. If you do this in the spring, you won’t get a beautiful decorative shape and full flowering. Such plants bloom on last year's branches that have successfully overwintered. These include:

• Japanese quince;
• forsythia;
• mock orange;
• weigela;
• viburnum-leaved bladderwort;
• lilac;
• action;
• spirea;
• three-lobed and steppe almonds.

Formative pruning allows you to transform a simple shrub into a decorative one. To do this, every year, in addition to the main branches, 2-3 new, strongest shoots are left.

Require special attention garden plants with a developed root system: white snowberry, serviceberry, fieldfare. When forming them, control not only the height, but also the width, cutting off the root shoots along the entire perimeter. In young crops it is also very important to prevent excessive crown growth.

On the other hand, you shouldn’t get rid of all the shoots too zealously, this will result in a loose structure and an ugly appearance bush. First of all, old, weak, non-viable branches coming from the roots are cut off. Strong ones are eliminated only in cases where they grow crookedly, towards the bush itself or interfere with the development of young shoots. They leave shoots that can eventually replace old and diseased branches.

In plants that do not tolerate frosty winters well, dried branches must be removed. The cut is made at a distance of 1 cm above the second bud. There will be no need for shoots, branches and shoots that spoil the overall perception of the decorative appearance of the bush.

To rejuvenate the bush

Rejuvenating pruning of ornamental shrubs is used to obtain a rich harvest in cases of fruit trees and dense flowering and landscaping for plants that serve as garden decorations. This method is also suitable for old, poorly growing (less than 6-8 cm per year) crops. The ideal time for the procedure is from August to September.

It is important for novice gardeners to know that pruning is done after flowering. The branches are shortened by 30%, the length is measured from the top. As a result, due to the side shoots, the bush will become more magnificent, the number of inflorescences will increase, and fruit bushes quantity and quality of fruits or berries.

This procedure is carried out every two years. This will allow you to maintain the necessary aeration and decorativeness of the bush.

Scheme for pruning ornamental shrubs according to the rejuvenating type:

Nuances that a gardener needs to know

By performing anti-aging pruning of garden and ornamental crops, you need to take into account some features and consequences. Namely:

1. 1. Removing branches, among other advantages, allows you to control the size of the inflorescences. If you greatly shorten the length of the branches, the flowers will become larger, but their number will be significantly reduced.
2. 2. If the procedure is carried out regularly, the bush will lose the density of its crown and its decorative appearance, so shoots intended for removal must be carefully selected.
3. 3. No more than 4 buds are trimmed at a time.
4. 4. Branches are radically removed when the plant is significantly degenerated, after 4 years after planting.
5. 5. The gardener must know exactly the flowering characteristics of his shrub - whether the buds form on last year’s branches or on fresh growth. Depending on this, old branches or excess growth are cut off.
6. 6. In difficult cases, when the bush has stopped producing young shoots, and the old branches are weakened and damaged, apply the procedure radical rejuvenation. Cut off all branches completely at ground level. If the bush was initially formed on a rootstock, pruning is done at a distance of about 15 cm from the grafting. This activates the growth of fresh shoots, since the base, that is, root system will remain the same. After a year or two, the formation of the bush begins again according to the general rules.

Pruning coniferous shrubs

Coniferous shrubs are not pruned regularly. This is justified only in the case of diseased, weak and damaged branches. Another reason is to add a decorative touch to the landscape or use plants as hedges. In order to minimize the traumatic nature of the procedure (conifers are very difficult to tolerate pruning), some features should be taken into account:

1. 1. The hardiest type of conifer is yew. You can form it without fear. All other trees and shrubs must be treated with extreme caution.
2. 2. Only delete green part, brown branches should not be touched - they cannot be restored.
3. 3. It is important to choose the right tools.
4. 4. The safety of the procedure and its effectiveness depend on disinfection.
5. 5. Remove no more than 30% of greenery at a time.
6. 6. Cypress and larch trees are pruned in November (the specific time depends on the region).
7. 7. The cutting angle for the bud is 45 degrees.
8. 8. To preserve the natural appearance, only the internal branches are thinned out.

Some coniferous shrubs With age they lose their attractive, unique coloring. Pruning can fix this. For example, cypress becomes a luxurious plant with a dense, silver color crown

Necessary tools - types and purpose

“Cutting” is not an easy task and requires the use of well-sharpened garden tools:

1. 1. Secateurs. Needed for cutting thin branches up to 2.5 cm in diameter. There are two types of devices - with a curved blade and a straight one. Thick shoots are cut first; the disadvantage is that it is difficult to trim without gaps. The second has a design in which the blade rests against the end of the tool, so there is no need to check for clearance between the blades. The downside is that it is impossible to trim in hard-to-reach places.
2. 2. Lopper. Designed for branches with a diameter of 5 cm. Copes well with shoots deep in the leaf crown and other hard-to-reach places. For work at heights there is a rope lopper.
3. 3. Saw. Used when eliminating very thick branches.
4. 4. Knife. Multifunctional tool. Used for trimming and stripping thin branches, cutting bark, and correcting uneven cuts.
5. 5. Garden shears. They help to form a curly crown and hedge.
6. 6. Stepladder. When choosing it, you should pay attention to stability and widely spaced legs.

Scheme for proper pruning of ornamental shrubs

The main requirement when pruning is to do no harm. In order for the procedure to take place without consequences, follow following rules step by step:

1. 1. Dried, damaged, old and broken shoots are removed.
2. 2. The cuts are made smooth; there should be no split stumps.
3. 3. If a branch is cut without subsequently leaving a stump, then this is done at an angle of 45 degrees.
4. 4. All tools used are thoroughly washed and sharpened.
5. 5. For branches up to 2 cm, use pruning shears; thick ones are cut with a hacksaw.
6. 6. All actions are carefully verified so as not to affect other shoots.
7. 7. If you need to stimulate the growth of weak shoots, cut them shorter. To form decorative look bush - only the tops.
8. 8. The cut must have a smooth surface.
9. 9. To avoid pruning, it is better to simply pinch the shoots in time.

After the procedure, the sections are treated with garden varnish; for thick branches (more than 3 cm in diameter), oil-based paint is used.

How to carry out the procedure for hydrangeas?

Gardeners grow hydrangeas to add decorative beauty to the landscape, so this plant needs pruning to increase the intensity of flowering. Adult cultures aged 5 years and older are subjected to the procedure. Old branches are removed at ground level, cutting them off completely. Leave no more than 5 shoots. If everything is done correctly, in the spring young branches will appear, formed from buds on the root collar. The old ones will be renewed and bloom again.

Another way to renew hydrangea is to remove the buds (faded) at a level of about 40 cm from the soil surface. IN in this case in the spring there will be a significant increase in fresh, young shoots on last year’s, quite viable, strong branches. They will not break or sag under the weight of inflorescences and flowering caps.

Proper pruning of berry bushes

The basis of any garden is berries and fruit trees and shrubs. Growing them is not difficult, but it will take a lot of time and effort. An important stage pruning becomes a major part of care and must be carried out within a certain time frame and according to established technology.

Autumn “cutting” of fruit and berry crops is carried out annually after the end of sap flow, before the first frost. Depending on the plant species, some perform the procedure in September, others in November. General recommendations the following:

1. 1. Pruning in the autumn is carried out only in regions where there are no long and harsh winter frosts. Otherwise, the bark at the cut site will freeze and the bush will die.
2. 2. The procedure is not carried out if the outside temperature is less than -10 degrees. In persistent frosts, wood acquires a fragile structure and simply breaks, causing mechanical damage that is difficult to heal.
3. 3. Freshly planted shrubs are not pruned, as this is not necessary in the first year. Moreover, if the planting site is chosen incorrectly and the plant is replanted next year, then it is best to form the crown in a new area.
4. 4. Autumn pruning applies only to mature trees and shrubs.
5. 5. Treatment of cut areas of branches with garden varnish is required.
6. 6. Tools must be sharpened as sharply as possible.

Shoots are pruned depending on the species. Thus, the fruiting period of black currant lasts about 5 years, so only old branches that are 6 years old are removed.

Raspberries

If the raspberries are not remontant, the procedure is carried out immediately after harvesting. For early varieties it could even be summer. Late-ripening and remontant ones are pruned only in the fall.

The life span of raspberries is 2 years. In the first year the bush actively develops, in the second it bears fruit. IN further plant begins to degenerate and gradually dies. Therefore, after harvesting for the 2nd year, it is cut off at the root. The number of shoots should also be regulated: the more there are, the smaller the harvest. Ideally, no more than 8 strong and strong shoots are left, the rest are mercilessly removed to the ground.

Remontant raspberries begin to bear fruit in the first year, so they are pruned immediately after harvest. The cut bushes are burned. If the winter in the region has little snow, pruning is carried out by weight. In winter, raspberries are tied in a bunch and bent to the ground.

Currant

Currants are pruned either during berry picking or after, when the bushes have completely shed their leaves and a dormant period begins. It bears fruit both on young shoots and on old branches. But the older the bush, the less and smaller fruits. During the procedure, no more than 10 of the strongest branches and 4 young strong shoots are left on it (5 buds are cut off from above).

Bushes over 6 years old are removed to the first true bud, which is about a third of the branch. Dried ones are cut out completely. Young shoots at the roots are carefully thinned out. Immediately after pruning, the currants are earthed up to stimulate the growth of shoots from the root system. The most powerful of them are next year replace old and diseased branches.

Red and white currant varieties bear fruit on mature branches. Therefore, when forming a bush, no more than 3 shoots are left each year, the rest are eliminated. As soon as berries stop appearing on the tops, they are reduced to the first fork. If fruiting does not occur the next year, the branch is removed completely.

Gooseberry

Any gooseberry varieties are prone to active growth both in width and height. Therefore, it is important to prune it annually after berry picking and leaf fall.

Dried, twisted, old branches and branches growing inside the bush must be removed at the root. If they are left, the yield will decrease every year. In autumn, 5-6 of the strongest branches are left on the gooseberry, reduced to a height of 25 cm, everything else is mercilessly removed. If time for pruning is missed and the plant is more than 2 years old, then in addition to sanitary thinning, curved branches growing down and inward are additionally cut off, fresh shoots are reduced to 3 buds. Root shoots carefully thinned out.

Formation of a dwarf apple tree

You can and should prune an apple tree. But they do it differently, depending on the desired end result and age.

The most best time for the first trim – autumn planting apple trees During this period, the future crown is formed. The branches are cut by a third of the length at the top and a quarter at the bottom. They are removed according to the principle: the smaller the root system, the more they should be pruned.

In the second season, the apple tree is pruned 35 cm (necessarily above the bud) from the trunk of the first order branches. Subsequently, branches of the second order are formed here. But it is important to ensure that they are located strictly along the outer edge of the crown and do not bend at an acute angle. If this happens, they are shortened by 25 cm from the trunk.

It is important to remember that the fruiting age is 4 years. In this regard, all older branches are removed, replacing them with young annual shoots.

During fruiting and harvesting, it is necessary to prune emerging shoots on skeletal branches if they grow more than 20 cm. Pruning is done to approximately ¼ of the length. As a result, the tree will not be depleted, the apple harvest will become uniform, abundant and annual.

Rejuvenation is carried out after about 5 years, when the quantity and quality (size) of the fruit decreases significantly, shoots appear rarely, and they are very weakened. Pruning in this case consists of removing branches that have formed over 3 years. All branches of the first order must be replaced by branches of the second. All the strongest and fattest are also subject to elimination. As a result, the crown volume will increase. The yield may decrease, but the fruits will become noticeably larger and of better quality.

Mandatory feeding after the procedure

Pruning is always a traumatic procedure for a bush. Therefore, the next step will be the application of organic fertilizers. Spring feeding significantly different from autumn.

If the pruning procedure was carried out from August to November, then the plant will need phosphorus fertilizers to form a new root system. When applying fertilizing, it should be evenly redistributed around the entire circumference around the stem circle. This process is combined with watering.

Most effective organic fertilizer for shrubs is an infusion of compost. It is prepared for about 3 days in the proportion of 0.5 kg per 10 liters of water. Watering is carried out in the evening when it is not hot or in cloudy weather. When applying fertilizer, make sure that the liquid does not get on young shoots and leaves. If the drought lasts for a long time, the plant is watered abundantly with plain water before fertilizing.

Trimming decorative and fruit crops does not present any great difficulties. The main thing is to choose the right time, stock up on tools and be patient at first. In the future, when the necessary skills are acquired, this process will be simplified, and every year the plot will delight with a lush, healthy, flowering and fruit-bearing garden.

Beginning gardeners often face the problem poor growth and flowering of ornamental plants. One of the main reasons is the lack regular pruning.

When to prune ornamental plants

The procedure should be carried out until the buds appear and sap flow begins.

• In the southern regions, where climatic conditions allow, formative pruning can begin at the end of February.
• In the Moscow region, pruning should be completed by the end of March.
• In the northern zone of Russia, it is recommended to wait until the beginning of April.

At temperatures below 10 C, pruning is not recommended: the tree crumbles and the wounds do not heal well. Tools you may need: pruners, loppers, hedge trimmers, garden knife. A chainsaw or pruning saw is useful for trimming large branches.

Trimming technology

• Before starting work, you should select unnecessary branches, draw a pruning plan and carry out it in stages so as not to remove anything unnecessary.

• On thick branches, a cut is made along the fibers, and on the opposite side, in the direction of the cut, a longitudinal cut is made to avoid breaking. This prevents the bark from breaking and promotes rapid wound healing.

• If the cut is large, it is covered with garden varnish. The layer must be at least 5 mm so that the wound does not dry out and infection does not get there.
• In adult, two-year-old shrubs, thick old branches are cut out, reducing the density of the central part. In this way, you will prolong the youth of the plant, as the branches will be renewed.

• To improve growth intensity and quantity flower buds you should do periodic cutting of branches through one. This will also help to form a beautiful, unthickened shrub with high decorative qualities.

• Decorative hedges are thinned twice a year: in the spring before sap flow begins and in mid-summer, to remove rapidly developing branches and give shape. This prevents the appearance of empty gaps and promotes uniform growth of shoots. The rule for all ornamental shrubs is: the more often you cut them, the thicker they grow.

Deciduous shrubs that grow along the edge of the crown require minimal care. These are common barberry, cotoneasters, cinquefoil, and viburnum. In the first years they need to be shortened to the same height of approximately 1.5 m.

Adult shoots of shrubs undergo sanitary pruning at the root, selecting old and damaged branches. If this is not done, the plants will become dense, stretched out, and look unkempt.

Deciduous ornamental shrubs that bloom on last year's shoots require extensive pruning. These include lilac, blood-red currant, and large-leaved hydrangea. Biennial, non-flowering and damaged branches are removed after flowering. If you prune earlier, the tree may not produce flower buds at all, and there will be no buds on it.