Native Australian plant species are fun to grow in your yard, but they’re not maintenance-free. While most Australian plants need less care than many wild species, they benefit significantly from fertilising, pruning and watering. Pruning facilitates steady growth, prolongs short-lived plant species’ life, and improves a greater show of flowers.
Pruning is the process of removing various sections of trees or shrubs that are dead or dying from the disease, pests, and lack of sunlight or trimming for healthy plant growth and aesthetic reasons.
Benefits of Pruning
Pruning is an excellent method of preventive maintenance for both growing and developed plants. A regular schedule of pruning safeguards your plants from injury, pathogens, and pests. This is an essential part of a long-term management plan.
Promotes Plant Health
Pruning takes away dead and injured branches, providing room for new growth, and protects your estate and the passerby from damage. It also prevents pest and animal infection and encourages the natural appearance and sustainable development of the plant.
Maintains Plants and Landscape
Pruning promotes the production of healthy fruit and flowers for shrubs and trees. Regular trimming creates hedge beauty and maintains grasses in proportion. Such maintenance endorses the anticipated layout and design of your land by regulating plant shape and size.
Types of Pruning
Following are discussed several types of pruning:
Tip Pruning
In order to encourage lateral growth, frequent tip pruning of soft new shoots is preferred over occasional heavy pruning. Tip pruning is best started after blooming and during the planting season for better efficiency. Pruning too late in the season presents a risk of declining blossoms in the next seasons. Continuously carry scissors when you’re out in the yard, as this enables you to practise tip pruning flawlessly.
Pruning Hedge Plants
Useful screen and hedge plants need to be consistent but comparatively delicately pruned all over the place to encourage and maintain thick growth. If you use this kind of pruning for hedge plants, it will keep them thick to the surface.
Pruning to Mend Damage
When branches are damaged or invaded by pests, infected segments should be cut back to save uncontaminated parts. If left in a damaged condition, the branches will be vulnerable to infection and will die.
Pruning to Improve Blossoming
The eradication of old blossoms should be started after the flowering is fully completed. This way, the plant does not throw its energy in the production of seed. It also has the same impact as tip pruning because it promotes new lateral growth and more flowers next spring. Plants undoubtedly take advantage of the fact that the top two-thirds of their blossoms have been removed. This is a vital pruning activity.
Pruning to Decrease Growth
Pruning flush with the trunk must not lead to new leaf growth. This is perfect if you prune down branches off a shrub to make it more of a tree.
Tips for Pruning
Pruning is not difficult when you know the three main elements. These principles necessarily apply whether you prune shrubs or trees. Here are the three top tips for pruning.
1. Choose the Right Tools
Always make use of clean, cutting tools. To prevent harm to the plant and the instrument, pick the right-size tool for the segment you prune. Use a pruning saw on branches bigger than 4-6cm in diameter. Pruners perform best in the tiny components. Use loppers on branches with an inch or so in diameter.
There is not a fixed ideal time to prune. Late winter is the perfect time to prune many shrubs and trees since they are inactive and it’s simpler to see what requires to be pruned. Late-winter thinning promotes rapid season growth. Some trees bleed sap massively if pruned in late winter. This tends to cause slight damage, but it can be prevented by pruning these trees after they are entirely leafed out in spring and early summer. Summer is the perfect time to eliminate dead branches.
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees straight after season flowering is over. Shrubs and trees that flower throughout the summer and autumn are better pruned in late winter or early spring as soon as their annual growth starts. Please stay away from fall pruning as it triggers a new development that can be murdered by a harsh winter. However, diseased or damaged branches can be pruned anytime.
2. Make Right Cuts
Holding the upper blade closer to the trunk or main stem makes a proper cut without ripping the bark. Stop leaving a stub that is unhygienic and offers an entrance for insects and pathogens. Cut out the branch collar, the inflammation where the branch starts.
Safety Tips For Pruning
Following are the essential safety tips for pruning:
> Dress appropriately for pruning, wearing long trousers, long-sleeved shirt, safety glasses, gloves and non-slip boots.
> A sun hat keeps you shielded from the sun, but ensure it doesn’t obstruct your view.
> Keep your instruments sharp and tidy to avoid any problems.
> Hold the instruments with the points facing down.
> Choose a clear, still, hot day to prune.
> If you need to prune from a ledge, tie it safely to the tree. Maintain one hand on the ladder and one hand on your pruning tool. Try to arrange for somebody on the surface to help secure the ladder even farther.
Tools For Pruning
The most essential tool for pruning is a high-quality pair of scissors. This is supposed to be the best you can purchase. It’s a handy tip to wrap some colourful plastic tape around the handle. This renders the scissors stand out, even if they are left half-buried in compost on the edge of a flower bed. Keep your blades sharpened and your joints oiled. Routine maintenance is going to help your instrument last longer.
Another requirement is a good saw. Preferably, pick one with a thin blade that can be pushed into populated parts of the plant.
Hedge clippers are essential for the trimming of formal hedges. If this feels like too much hard work, buy a pair of electric or battery-powered shears.
Conclusion
Pruning is a perfect way of routine maintenance for both developing and established plants. Your plants are protected from damage, infectious agents, and insects by frequent pruning. This is a crucial part of a long-term management strategy.
Although most Australian plant species require less care than many exotic plants, they benefit greatly from fertilisation, pruning and irrigating. Pruning enhances consistent growth, prolongs the life of short-lived plant species, and strengthens flower appearance.
Pruning is not difficult when you know the main elements. Three principles necessarily apply whether you prune shrubs or trees: choose the right tools, choose the right time, and make the right cuts. Once you master these three things, pruning renders a simple and fun activity to do.
This post carries all the essential pruning information for Australian garden owners. In order to understand better, you must take another look at the post. Try to find what you lack while you prune your plants, avoid those mistakes, and you’ll see your garden flourishing day by day. You’d start feeling like pruning is an art and you’re the artist.
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