Pruning Workshop at East Branch Organics
The meeting at East Branch Organics in Keene featured owner Heather Coffin presenting on the importance of pruning. Heather has been a professional for nearly 20 years and her experience was apparent as she patiently lectured and demonstrated the value in pruning as an essential gardening skill. When you prune correctly, you encourage healthy growth and flowering (in the case of flowering plants), as well as good looks. For most shrubs and trees, it helps to prune at the right time. Some are best pruned in late winter or early spring; some right after flowering, and others in the fall. Heather also reminded us that plants are very resilient and forgiving so pruning them at the wrong time or the wrong place is not critical.
From the East Branch Organics website:
Tom and Heather Coffin have been working in the landscaping and growing industry since before they first met in 2000. They successfully ran a landscaping business in Nantucket for 10 years before deciding to relocate their family to the Keene Valley area. After helping to start the first Nantucket Farmers and Artisans Market (NFAM) and helping to manage it, the desire to have a full-time “farmers market” evolved into the purchase of the garden center in Keene. A shared passion for the environment has led to the garden center primarily focusing on organic and natural landscaping practices.
Regular selective pruning, or maintenance pruning, is also a way to keep woody plants healthy and productive. We also prune because we want a better-looking plant. Heather also reminded us that pruning can be very therapeutic! In the Adirondacks most people do not prune for shaping – a boxwood, for example; but some do like to maintain woody plants with defined shape. Deadwood pruning can happen at any time
One goal of maintenance pruning is to protect your woody plants from pests and disease, which can gain entry into a plant through dead wood, broken branches, and wounds caused by branches that are rubbing together. By thoughtfully cutting back tips, branches, limbs, and stems, you can also encourage active growth that produces abundant flowers and fruits as well as prevent the spread of pests and disease. Know¬ing, where to begin with maintenance pruning, can seem overwhelming since there are so many different trees and shrubs to consider. But by following three basic guidelines—knowing what, where, and when to cut—you will be successful in all of your deciduous tree and shrub pruning endeavors.
TOOLS
Heather used to believe the best pruners to be Felco’s but now she likes the Coronas which are half price of Felco’s. Inexpensive pruners tend to fall apart so she feels it is worth spending the money on a good pair because they will last a lot longer. Hand trimmers are key. A lopper is also very important – get loppers that handles are far enough apart. Folding saws are helpful because you can get at branches that are not accessible by pruners. A bow saw helps to get into a tree and cuts in both directions. Extension pruners are helpful on delicate plants and are especially suitable for climbing roses. Bigger extension pruner with a rope – has a lot of power for bigger branches.
Gloves are vital for protecting skin – eye protection is also critical because branches can pop up in your eyes. Sharpening the blades is also critical, and some hardware stores offer services to sharpen. Also, using a sharpening stone can prolong the life of your pruners. Cleaning pruners with alcohol or bleach and water after each use is essential.
Woodies – spring is the best time to prune; hydrangea arbor essence (prune in fall or spring); and macrophiles; hydrangea paniculate – bloom on new growth. Don’t cut back woody perennials in the fall – especially lavender, Russian sage, hypericin, St. John's wart – wait until the springtime to prune when you start seeing the growth coming up.
Evergreens - Prune the winterkill on pines and shrubs around the house at any time; only prune evergreens if there is deadwood on it. Lower branches can destroy the bottom of trees, and those branches really won’t come back. “Lollypop trees” are those that have been eaten by deer common in the west.
Climbing hydrangeas – cut to train it. No need to prune them unless it is growing out instead of up. Trim little growth at the bottom to train the longer branches to grow up.
Spireas - super resilient; prune back very hard before bloom time.
Rosa rugosas – prune to 18” in early spring because it is easier to work with them before the growing season begins.
Climbing roses – take out dead wood at any time; prune in early spring before blooming. You don’t want the rose to put energy into leggy branches. Always cut at an angle and deadhead as much as possible. Anything with signs of disease should be cut off completely. Try to get back to the basics – get it to look healthier and be healthier. When deadheading, cut it back to the next healthy five leaf.
Rose bushes - Fertilize at the same time as cutting it back. When planting put in manure, peat moss, rose tone and bone meal.
Peonies – cut them back to three or four inches from the ground in the fall. Deadhead flowers after blooming season.
Lilacs, spring-blooming spirea, philadelphis, viburnum - prune in late spring. You can remove a third of the lilac bush, and they will thrive.
Physocarpus (Ninebark) – prune in the fall and can be cut all the way to the ground.
Basil prune – when you have a bush or plant cut all the way down to the ground to try and promote new growth.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PRUNING:
Reader’s Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening
