5 ideas on Plant Pruning
Pruning simply means cutting off or trimming. Plant parts such as leaves, stem, branches are pruned to remove, redirect, or reshape a plant.
Other reasons for pruning a plant could be to contain an infection, or to improve the yield of fruits and flowers.
The process where a plant self prunes as a result of harsh conditions such as cold and salinity is called abscission.
Below are 5 random ideas on plant pruning:
- “Slanting cut” reduces the risk of diseases: Make your pruning cuts at a gentle angle about one-quarter inch above a bud. The angled cut allows water to slide off the wound instead of water collecting atop it. This is to prevent fungi and other disease causing organisms from growing on the wound. However, if your plant produces buds side by side, make a straight cut.
- The right tools make trimming easier: For soft, thin stems, use Pruning shears, for thicker tougher stems, use loopers and for big branches, pruning saws come in handy. Do ensure that the tools are sharp. Dull tools crush and tear stems. You would end up hurting the plant than helping it.
- Prune your Hedge top with ease: Cut your hedge top in a straight line with two sticks and a string. Drive a tall stake into the ground at both sides of the hedge plant, tie the string firmly between the two stakes at the height you want to clip the hedge. Use the line as a plum to achieve your straight line all the time.
- Best way to build hedge height: Be patient, it takes a long time to grow tall, leafy and dense hedges. Do not be tempted to let the shrub get leggy just to build height. The hedge would look scanty and scrawny. Prune the plant regularly to encourage dense healthy growth as the height falls in with time.
- How to have a beautiful flower display: Pinch or prune off flower buds on the stem, leave just one at the tip. By doing this the plant devotes all its energy to producing one single beautiful flower. Remove these buds as quickly as you see them to avoid leaving big cut scars behind.
Generally, plants can be pruned at any time of the year but care should be taken during extreme weather and periods when plant diseases are widespread and air borne.
