What is it for?
To preserve the health of the plant and guarantee a certain aesthetic quality ; the simplest interventions are the elimination of dry , diseased or broken branches which represent the attack point of the parasites and the removal of dried inflorescences . Weak and thin branches rarely bear flowers and fruit and must therefore be cut. The general principle is to eliminate some buds of the plant in order to stimulate others in rest. But there are few plants that require radical interventions: it is a good idea not to prune too much . Recurring interventions Pruning is
usually carried out on outdoor plants, for indoor plants the pruning operations are attributable to the elimination of sick or deformed or withered leaves and stems. In addition to cutting the branches , this operation also includes the trimming , the thinning of flowers and fruits , the bending and twisting of the branches . Remains
Elimination of dry, diseased or broken branches and dried inflorescences. Topping
Removal of the apex of the main branching of herbaceous species in order to obtain more branched and therefore thicker plants. Suckering
Elimination of root jets, called suckers, which subtract vigor from the plant; these are typical of some arboreal plants such as lime trees. Hulling
It is performed on indoor plants and is a set of operations attributable to the elimination of diseased or deformed or withered leaves and dried flowers. Trimming
It is performed on houseplants, it consists in cutting the tips of the dry leaves above the healthy tissue of the leaf. Give a sapling shape
Eliminate the lateral shoots at the base, leaving only the stem which appears more vigorous, and pinch the protruding leaves. How to prune
The cut must be clean, without fraying of the bark: so it heals quickly, reducing the risk of diseases. The right point is just above a leaf or node , with an inclination from top to bottom and diagonally, to avoid stagnation of rainwater and subsequent rot. Eliminate also the small branches of branches because they dry up.
If you work on plants affected by fungal diseases , it is advisable to treat the blades (well sharpened) of the tools used with disinfectants When to prune Trees and evergreens Conifers: in March-April only if they fork, eliminating the weakest shoot. Otherwise, dried flowers and diseased, damaged or dead branches are removed. Large-leaved evergreens : in late summer-early autumn, to allow young shoots to grow stronger. An early pruning would stimulate the plant to emit many shoots that would suffer damage during the winter Shrubs
If the flowering is in spring , on branches of the previous vegetative season (the bark is brown unlike the green one of the new branches), they can be pruned as soon as the trees wither flowers, to allow the plant to produce new branches that can become stronger before the arrival of the winter season.
If floweringand on new branches , pruning is done in late autumn or late February. Generally this type of shrub should be pruned from the 2nd or 3rd year; first, broken or malformed branches can be removed. Creepers without flowering
If the leaves are deciduous (they fall at the end of the growing season, leaving the plant bare in the winter) they can be pruned in winter.
If they are evergreen , prune them in early spring. Flowering
vines They are pruned according to the flowering period. Hedges
To obtain regular and luxuriant growth, the shoots must be cut, in the first 2-3 years, for half of their length. The trapezoidal shape , with the wider base that narrows by 10 cm every meter of height, allows the lower part to have light and air, avoiding thinning. Pruning the roses
In general, pruning should be done before the vegetative restart , but never in case of intense cold. In addition, the topping of withered flowers is recommended to encourage the emission of new blooms. Non-re-flowering shrub roses
After flowering, the branches are shortened by a third of their length. Remontant shrub roses
They can be pruned from the second year of the plant, at the beginning of spring, shortening the stems by a third. Bush roses with large flowers
It is carried out every year, in spring, at 20-30 cm from the ground; the shorter the stems, the larger the flowers, but less numerous. Ground cover roses
In spring, a light topping is done to keep the vegetation tidy. Climbing roses
At the beginning of spring, the secondary branches are pruned, the lateral ones are shortened, leaving 3 buds per branch and the main ones are eliminated when they no longer produce flowers. Sarmentose roses
At the end of flowering, the main branches are cut off at the base of the ground and the young ones are tied to supports.
