Removing the old, spent flowers from perennials, like this coneflower, will keep the plants flowering and looking great for longer. (photo by Jessie Keith)
Summer is often not the time of year when most gardeners think of pruning their fruit trees. However, there are some definite advantages to summer pruning. When the tree is in full leaf, it is often easier for a home gardener to see where certain branches are crossing over each other and could be removed. With summer pruning and the tree in full leaf, removing certain branches can also help open the tree to provide for better air circulation. A reminder: if you are going to do summer pruning on fruit trees, do it after the fruit has set.
For those gardeners that have espaliered fruit trees, constant summer pruning is a necessity. With the tree sending out new branches, it is important not to let these grow too long but to keep them trimmed so the tree is kept properly trained and maintained. For gardeners that would like to be able to grow their own fruit trees, but have limited space, growing espaliered trees is an excellent option to consider.
When removing the summer seed heads from Rhododendron, be sure not to remove the new growth buds that reside on either side of it.
Gardeners will often use the word “deadheading” and all this means is removing the old flower stems to make way for new. The word is used frequently with regard to rhododendrons and azaleas and refers to snapping or cutting off the area where the old flower was attached to the stem. With most rhododendrons and azaleas, this area is usually very visible which makes removal easy. Often, this is done for visual purposes because dried up flowers are not very attractive. Removing the flowers is also a way to prevent the plant from forming seed. When a plant forms seeds, it takes away nourishment that could be used for new growth. Be careful when removing the seed head because new growth buds reside on either side of it and should not be removed. These new buds will produce the new growth for the summer and this growth will then develop flower buds for next years’ bloom.
Roses are another plant that responds well to having the flower stems removed after the flowers are gone. This will encourage the plant to produce new stems and new flowers. Stem removal can also be seen as a way to perform some selective summer pruning and will help ‘open’ the bush up to allow for good air circulation. Just be sure to sanitize your pruners between plants to protect against any potential spread of disease.
Deadheading modern rose varieties will encourage new roses to appear. (photo by Jessie Keith)
There is confusion among many gardeners as to when and how to prune hydrangeas. Some hydrangeas bloom on 2nd year wood, so if a plant is severely pruned one season, it make take full year for it to come into bloom again. There are other Hydrangeas, ‘Limelight’ is a good example, that bloom on new growth, so the plant can be pruned at almost any time and the gardener will still get flowers. Do some checking with your local garden center as to the best time to prune your plants and still get flowers.
Checking with gardening neighbors and garden experts is a good way to get additional tips on pruning. Find a neighbor that likes to garden and soak up some information. One of the best things about gardening is that most gardeners are very friendly, helpful, and like to share information.
Just because winter is the traditional pruning season, it is often all right to break or bend the ‘rules’. Sometimes what is traditional, is simple that, ‘traditional’ and may have no actual factual basis.
For espaliered fruit trees, constant summer pruning is a necessity.