4 Tips For Pruning Your Plants

Pruning is such an essential step of keeping your plants healthy and lush. However, pruning your plants can be a difficult task if you don't know the do's and don't's of pruning for the type of plants you have.

Check out these four tips before you prune your plants this year!

1.) Know your plant.

Before you beginning pruning, make sure you know your plant. The type of plant can effect how you prune, the age you should prune at, and the time of year for pruning (for example, spring for flowering shrubs). So, make sure you know what type of plant you're pruning and have a plan!

2.) Remove any dead limbs and pieces

Anything that is dried, damaged, dead, or diseased, make sure to remove right away to ensure it will have the least impact on the rest of the plant.

3.) Use different techniques

Who knew pruning could be so complex, right?! Typically, thinning using angled cuts right up to the nearest bud work best for plants to heal quickly. However, different cuts can make different impacts on your plants! Here are common cuts and how they can help your plant:

• Thinning (most common): maintains the plant and allows for shape and new growth.

• Pinching: Increases bushiness of a shrub.

• Deadheading: allows for another wave of flowers to get more light and bloom.

• Rejuvenation: allows for complete regrowth if the plant is overgrown.

4.) The 1/3 Rule for Thinning (Shrubs and small trees only)

The 1/3 rule applies to pruning 1/3 of the healthy wood during the pruning season. This ensures that you don't over prune and cause harm to the plant, and you don't under-prune and aren't effective.

Check back in with us next Tuesday for more helpful tips!