Pruning a flower meadow – how to do it right?

Spring pruning of ornamental plants: all the subtleties of the seasonal procedure

Soon spring will explode with fireworks of colorful colors. But before that, it is necessary to walk through the garden with secateurs and a twig in hand to equip the plants with new “hairstyles”. Then trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials will open the new garden season with renewed vigor. But how does “who” prune? And when? You can’t rely on intuition on this question!

In early spring, you need to walk through the garden with a pruner. If done correctly, the plants get stronger and bloom more often.

“Pruning” is one of the most important procedures in the care of ornamental plants. If done right, they get stronger and bloom more often.

• Traditional early-blooming plants, such as spirea sharpleaf, blood currant and corn blossom, can be pruned as soon as they bloom.
• In the case of magnolia, rolling maple and witch hazel, the primrose should be removed, since these flora have a pleasant “appearance” in their own right and also tolerate flowering quite well.
• The situation is very different with the many summer scaly plants: For lavender, hydrangea panicles and buddleia, pruning is synonymous with rejuvenation – they should be severely “pruned”.
• All old stems and stems of ornamental grasses and fall-flowering – herbaceous – grass-covered perennials are best trimmed in early spring.
• But with the correction of the crown, bush or appearance of remontant roses should wait until the forsythia is in bloom.

Tea of hybrid and downy roses

• In strong-growing flowerbeds (mostly from the floribunda and polyanthus groups) and tea-hybrid roses, a framework of 5-6 of the youngest or more of the cellular branches should be left to be shortened to 5 buds.
• On varietal plants with weakened growth, 3-4 skeletal shoots with 3 buds should be left so as not to deplete the bush.

In summer, remove all wilted blossoms before the first well-developed leaf.

Lush blooming in climbing roses

For remontant plethora roses to bloom tirelessly, you need to cut out all the old stems in the spring, which will produce 5-6 strong annuals (if there are few, then several two-year-olds) and pp. up to 3-5 buds (photo below right). In single-flowering climbing roses, the flowers form on the previous year’s growth, so the bush only blooms after the summer blooms. If necessary, you can remove a few of the oldest skeletal branches – then the plant will not “glisten with bare feet”.

Left: blooming rose ‘Bonica’ 82 ‘. On the right:

Tip: After pruning, place the cilia of roses tied to the support horizontally or at an angle – this also encourages flowering.

Variety of bush roses

In turn, for proper correction, it is important to know whether the rose belongs to the repeatedly blooming or once-blooming variety. In the first case, flowering occurs on young shoots. In such plants, strong shoots should be shortened by a third of their length, weak ones – by half. Very old and very thin branches should be completely removed by cutting them off at the base. Single-flowered shrubs, including many park shrubs, develop their flower buds on the previous year’s shoots. You should therefore only thin them out a little after they bloom.

Pruning lavender is compulsory

This much-loved shrub needs pruning in spring. Otherwise, the shoots become bare at the bottom and gradually become ‘bare’ higher and higher. Every spring the stems should be shortened by about a third of their length to give the shrub a semi-circular shape.

Cut back about a third of the lavender stems each spring.

Important: Do not cut back to the woody part of the stem or it will not be able to grow new shoots.

Once the plant has flowered, it should be cut again. This time, remove the flowering stems with the top 2-3 pairs of leaves. Other woody herbs such as sage, rosemary and thyme can be kept taut and compact in the same way.

Summer-flowering spireas.

These plants are divided into spring-flowering and summer-flowering species. The latter include Spiraea tomentosa, S. japonica, S. billardii, S. bumalda, S. douglasii and some others. They form flower buds on young shoots. Therefore, you can completely cut off all the old last year’s growths in the spring.

Japanese spiraea (Spiraea japonica)

Thanks to such a radical change in appearance, these shrubs bloom abundantly, and variegated spiraea, such as ‘Golden Princess’, also please with a particularly bright color of the leaves. Unlike the aforementioned, Spiraea sharp-toothed and Vangutta (S. x arguta and S. xvanhouttei) form their inflorescences only on the last year’s shoots, so they should only be “cut” in the summer after flowering.

Clematis

Clematis purpure.

According to the method of pruning, clematis are divided into 3 groups. It is easiest to “prune” plants from the third group, since the bulk of the flowers are formed on the shoots of the current year. In addition to Clematis tangutica, these include the large-flowered hybrid ‘Jackmanii’, the semi-bushy purple clematis (C. viticella) (pictured below) and all herbaceous species whose shoots die off at the end of the growing season.

1. Large vines are easier to cut into sections to make it easier to remove the stems from the support.
2. It is necessary to shorten the vine to a height of 20-30 cm above ground level.
3. Later, new shoots will grow from the buds on these stems and the root neck, on which flowers will appear in summer.

By the way, compared to large-flowered hybrids, purple clematis and other wild species are less susceptible to such a common disease as wilting.

early flowering clematis.

In the case of plants in the first pruning group, which mainly includes the alpine vine (C. alpina) and the mountain vine (C. montana), it is worth avoiding “pruning” completely if possible.

Clematisberg Elizabeth.

Both species begin flowering in May. Their flower buds are laid in the previous year. If such a clematis needs to be corrected (e.g. has grown a lot or blooms poorly), it is better to wait with intervention until after flowering. In this case, the plant still has time to form new shoots with flower buds.

Large-flowered clematis

Such hybrids are characterized by particularly impressive flowers, sometimes appearing twice in one season. If the first wave occurs on the last year shoots in June, then in August – September the young shoots of the current year enjoy a repeat flowering. Clematis hybrid ‘Niobe’

In order not to lose the first wave in early summer, in the second group of pruning in the spring, only damaged and weak shoots should be removed and trimmed at the base. The remaining cilia should be shortened by half in late fall. Rejuvenation of old specimens allows pruning up to one meter above ground level.

Rejuvenation of old specimens allows pruning at a height of up to one meter above the ground

In summer, the wilted flowers of this group of clematis should be removed along with the first pair of leaves so that the buds develop normally for the second wave of flowering.

The most famous representatives of this group are the hybrids “Nellie Moser”, “Dr. Ruppel”, “President” and “Niobe”.

You can easily find all these and other hybrids and varieties of clematis on the market. Compare prices at specialist dealers and choose your large-bloomed clematis from online stores.

Spherical shrubs

The solid-leaved willow (Salix integra) ‘Hakuro Nishiki’ (pictured bottom left) is very pretty and takes up very little space, so it is especially appreciated by small garden owners. In order to keep the crown compact and the foliage rich in color, every year in early spring all the branches should be sharply cut, leaving only stumps about 10 cm long. As a result of this radical “cutting” new shoots with young leaves of light pink and white-green shades are intensively formed. A similar procedure is also prescribed for goat willow (S. saprea) ‘Pendula’ and almond triloba (Prunus triloba). However, the pruning shear should only be used after flowering.

Left: Hakuro Nishiki willow. Right: Weigels should be pruned in spring immediately after flowering

Pruning spring flowering plants

For a garden season which is not only lush but also colourful, a large group of spring-flowering shrubs such as the wagelas (top right) should be cut back immediately after they bloom because their flowers appear on last year’s plants. At the same time, some too old skeletal branches should be removed at the very base, and wilted shoots should be shortened to well developed branching.

Forsythia, lilac, red currant, deitia, kerria, spiraea vangutta and mock orange should be treated in the same way so that they bloom well. Some very dense and poorly flowering shrubs can be completely pruned in early spring, even if you have to sacrifice flowering, and then do annual formative pruning.

Hydrangeas

Some species are only indicated with moderate “pruning.”

Hydrangea macrophylla.

Hydrangea macrophylla (Hortensiama macrophylla) impresses with its hemisphere-like inflorescences. To be able to admire this wonder every year, species such as Hydrangea serrata (H. serrata), Hydrangea Sargentiana (H. Sargentiana) and Hydrangea oakleaf (H. Quercifolia) need only be “pruned” as you have flower buds on shoots laid down in the previous year. Pruning should be done in early spring, when the danger of severe frosts has passed. In this case you should only cut off the withered inflorescences and aim the tool at the first well-developed pair of buds (photo right).

On the left side: The taller chorten with a large liverwort looks good in the first row. The taller panicle is better placed in the background. Right

In addition, every 3-4 years the shrub should be diluted, and old branches that have already begun to flower. This promotes better formation of young shoots from the base of the plant.

Hordera deciduous

Hordera deciduous although belongs to this sectional group, but usually does not need annual “pruning” at all – only sanitary (all dried and damaged branches to be removed).

Hydrangea Sargentia

The Sargentia is best placed in partial shade, protected from the wind. Give the plant more space to reveal its crown in all its glory. Sargentiana Hortensiea Sargentiana

Flat inflorescences with fertile inner flowers and sterile outer flowers appear in July to August.

Procedure for obtaining a tree-like beauty

Hydrangea dinica (hydrangea arborescens) has earned the love of gardeners for a reason – it is frost-resistant and blooms lushly. At the same time, the flowering is formed on the growth of the current year, so the plant can not hesitate to severely prune every spring (photo below left). In this case the stems should be shortened to 15-20 cm above the surface of the floor and the branches older than two years should be removed completely. This will keep it compact and guarantee flowering.

Left: Tree hydrangea can be cut back sharply. Right: Essen Hermsy Annabelle

Some of the stems can be renewed in mid-June – and then the blooms will last until fall. The best known variety of this type of hydrangea is ‘Annabelle’ (photo above). In order for the inflorescences to achieve maximum decorativeness, the shrub will not hurt to feed it with organic fertilizers after pruning.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea permosferica (Hydrangea paniculata) forms inflorescences mainly on the shoots of the current year. Every spring, annual growth with withered inflorescences should be shortened by four buds and more old and withered branches should be removed.

Strong pruning promotes bloody hydrangea blooms

Tip: After forgetting to do this procedure, trim the shrub to a hidden base. This will give young discs from the lowest buds.

Similarly, ‘prune’ popular plants such as ‘Grandiflora’, ‘Kyushu’, ‘Bombshell’ or All White), greenish white ‘Limelight’ and replace the white color of the flowers with pink vanilla. ‘Fraise’ and ‘Pinky Winky’. The exception is ‘Praecox’ and ‘Dharuma’: their buds appear on last year’s growth, so they are not cut off, but only remove the dried inflorescences in late summer.

Stimulation of buddleia flowering

Buddleja Davidii is prescribed annual heavy pruning. This should be done in March to early April. The oldest skeletons should first be trimmed by hand to keep the bush from becoming overgrown.

Buddley David prescribes annual heavy pruning.

Then on the remaining young branches, the previous year’s shoots should be shortened so that short branches with 2-3 buds remain (leaving more will produce many weak shoots to the detriment of flowering). As a result of such correction, the summer lilac retains a compact appearance and blooms lushly every year. Read more in the article “Hairstyle” for buddleia: Characteristics of spring haircuts.

Ornamental grass “haircuts”.

To keep new shoots from mingling with old shoots, spring cut chinstashilla, pampas grass, deer twig and foxtail pennis.

To keep new shoots from mingling with old ones, chinstaff, pampas grass, stock-shire, and foxtail pennisum should be cut in the spring.

Large clumps are easiest to cut with hand or electric hedge clippers.

In this case the stems should be shortened to 15-20 cm above the ground.

If the grass is short, it can be cut in bunches with a pair of garden shears. With winter green grasses such as snowy segezha and morning segezha, it is sufficient to pluck the old stems by hand.

Photo: MSG, Alamy, Fotolia, Flora Press, Friedrich Strauss, My Beautiful Garden Archive

Cutting shrubs – the basics of selecting plants and forming the right shapes, the choice of tools (photo + video)

Who would not want to have in his garden or near the house beautifully decorated decorative shrubs. It seems that without experience it is impossible to cope with this, but this is only so it seems at once. With great eagerness you all study and draw design ideas for trimming shrubs on the Internet.

After looking through the huge selection of photos of trimmed bushes on display, you are sure to choose the motifs that are suitable for your plot.

How to start decorating your garden?

Creating beautiful shapes from the crowns of plants is an art form and a fascinating thing to do. With a few strokes of the scissors, an ordinary bush takes on an intricate, fairy-tale shape.

However, you still need to have certain skills and follow some important tips when doing this job.

Choosing a suitable location for planting

To decorate such a mini-landscape, it is necessary to choose a well-lit part of the garden. If there is not enough light, the bushes become liquid, the leaves are small, and the branches constantly grab the light, which deforms the created form of plantings.

Not all shrubs and trees are suitable for decorating. You need to decide what shape you want? On a tall bush or a low-growing specimen. For this purpose, select plants in advance.

Find out if all plants are suitable for your site, perhaps some won’t tolerate a harsh winter, but are perfect for clippings.

Choose plants that form a dense and beautiful crown, have many branches and thick foliage.

– Poisonous, but very common in living compositions, the plant, cut twice a year;
• Eib – also cut twice a year, looks original in creating living figures;
• Thuja westerly – a needle tree species, cut in early spring;
• Cotoneaster – a fast-growing shrub, requires frequent trimming with scissors;
• Stechapalme – prickly representative, ideal for a hedge;
• Ligaster – an ideal candidate for a hedge system, it can be cut once a year.

Warning. If you are a novice gardener and new to pruning, it is best to start with deciduous trees.

Unlike conifers, deciduous trees grow very quickly. If you make a mistake with a deciduous tree, it grows quickly, the mistake can be corrected, but with conifers you will have to wait.

How to prune shrubs

First of all, it is clear that the formation of decorative crowns is not carried out in one year.

To achieve the desired result, carry out one or two preparatory pruning. One third of the growth of the stem is removed. This is done in order to enhance the growth of shoots, thanks to which the crown will be dense and thick-leaved.

When the shrub reaches the desired size, begin to form the desired planting configurations.

Important! The cuts on the branches each time should be made slightly higher than the previous one. If you do it at the same level, then one day your bush will be left without branches.

What is the best time of year to do the work

The formation of the crown occurs mainly in early spring. Deciduous shrubs are trimmed in March-April before the start of work in the garden. The next procedure is carried out in autumn. Depending on the biological features, the third pruning is also carried out.

The crown of conifers is formed in early spring or after the young shoots stop growing – at the end of June.

What tools to choose

Choose the tools for work very carefully, the further result of your work depends on it.

If you decide to seriously engage in topiary, the tools must be professional, simple scissors are not enough.

There are different tools for every job. Scissors for cutting bushes and grass are fundamentally different in their design and are not interchangeable.

• simple garden shears, garden shears – for trimming branches;
• saw – for trimming thick branches;
• lopper – used to trim branches evenly;
• Shrub shears – for shaping the crown;
• Garden knife – for cutting shoots.

The presence of such tools greatly facilitates the work and brings a lot of pleasure.

Tools should always be sharp and easy to use. When buying, do not forget to ask if you can sharpen the tool yourself.

Also pay attention to the cutting blades. They should fit tightly to each other and have no gaps. Otherwise, the grass will be shredded and not cut. Yes, and the branches of bushes will gnaw. Using blunt implements will only traumatize the plant and ruin your nerves.

Where to start

If you’re just getting started with shrub topiary pruning, it’s wise to start with simple numbers:

Balls – Many plants are initially round in shape and just need to be slightly pruned, such as the Western Thuja. For other shrubs, however, you still need to make an effort and have some patience.

To give the desired shape, you can buy a ready-made structure – a rod with a circle of wire corresponding to the diameter of the future sleeve, or see master classes on how to make such handy tools.

Cube – to create such a form, several bushes are used, which need to be properly planted. For example, a composition of five plants: four bushes in the corners, one in the middle, remember that the bushes will sprawl. For such forms will suit privet, cotoneaster.

Tip: To make your mound thick and lush, always cut the shoots only above the bud located inside, then the crown will be thick without free gaps.

Pyramid plants with thick and small leaves are chosen. An important point in rearing is clearly defined edges of the pyramid. Tanka, turquoise, thuja westerly will do.

The shape is formed very simply, determine how many edges your pyramid will have, and draw the desired shape on the floor around the shrub. Add slats according to the key points of the shape and tie the top, form your pyramid on these edges.

Tip! All edges are formed at the same time to avoid deforming the pattern, a mistake could lead to re-cutting.

Creating complex numbers

Having mastered the first basics of creating simple shapes of haircuts, you can continue to make more complex compositions. Shaped bush clippings consist of several steps:

A framework is formed from wire of the appropriate shape, which is placed on the selected system. The grown branches that extend beyond the frame are removed.

The formation of the desired shape is stretched over several years. Throughout this time, the garden shears for trimming shrubs are rolled up and kept in shape. After reaching the conceived figure, the framework is removed and all that remains is to tweak the resulting masterpiece.

More complex figures require more complex designs. These are special templates for filling, in which the system is developed.

The forms are filled with moss or peat, and on top of it are planted creeping plants, which gradually grow the desired shape. In order to create such an intricate topiary, it is necessary to have skills and knowledge, here requires a long and careful care.

If you do it is not easy, but amazingly beautiful activity, not only will give an individual look to your garden, but it will create real art and create unique masterpieces of wildlife.