Gardeners' World: Monty Don advises on pruning lavender
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When you prune a plant you cut foliage, branches, or trunks to make the plant more attractive and structurally stronger. Good pruning minimises damage to growing plant tissue, whereas bad pruning creates problems for the plant. Luckily gardening experts at BackyardBoss are on hand to share pruning mistakes to avoid.
1. Not pruning at all
The pros claim that the “most common” mistake when it comes to pruning is when gardeners don’t attempt to prune plants at all. While it may seem like a pointless task to do in winter, the gardening gurus claimed that pruning is “essential” to ensure plants are “healthy and grow properly”.
If gardeners fail to prune their plants it can lead to “several problems” warned the experts. One of which is overgrowth.
The garden specialists said: “If you don’t prune your plants, they will grow unchecked. They could become unmanageable and take over your garden.”
Not pruning plants could also lead to “pest and disease problems” as gardeners may not see areas that are “infested or diseased”, says the pros.
They added: “If you don’t prune your plants, they may not flower as well as they should. This is because plants produce flowers on new growth, which pruning encourages.”
Unpruned fruit trees will produce smaller and poorer quality fruit since fruit is produced on new growth.
2. Pruning too early or too late
The gardening experts warned pruning at the “wrong time” of year can “damage your plants”. If gardeners prune too early, it can stimulate new growth that won’t have time to harden off before winter, leading to frost damage.
However, for those who prune too late, they might remove flower buds that would have bloomed in the spring.
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Instead the pros urged that the “best time to prune most plants” is in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
They explained: “This gives the plant time to heal before the stresses of summer. However, there are a few exceptions. If you’re not sure when to prune your particular plant, ask a nursery or gardening centre for advice.”
3. Overpruning
While pruning is a “vital” care task for most plants as it helps “promote healthy growth and can even make your plants look more attractive”, there is such a thing as too much pruning.
Similar to not pruning at all, over-pruning can be bad as well. The gardening gurus warned that overpruning can “damage or even kill your plants”.
They added: “One of the biggest dangers of over-pruning is that it can encourage excessive growth. This may not seem like a bad thing at first, but it can quickly get out of control. Excessive growth means more work for you in the long run, and it can also make your plants more susceptible to pests and diseases.”
Another problem with over-pruning is that it can weaken the plant. This is because pruning removes leaves and stems, which are essential for the plant’s overall health.
So, how can you tell if you’re over-pruning? The pros answered: “One sure-fire way is to look at the plant itself. If it looks stressed or damaged, then you’re probably doing too much. Another way to tell is by the amount of new growth. If you see lots of new shoots and leaves, then it’s likely that you’re over-pruning.”
For those who think they might be overpruning their plants, the “best thing to do” is to stop pruning for a while and see how the plant responds. If it starts to recover, then gardeners were probably doing too much. If not, they might be making another common gardening mistake. In any case, start pruning again, but be sure to take it slowly to avoid overdoing it.
4. Using the wrong tools
No matter what plant is being pruned, it’s important to always use the right tools. The type of tool you use will depend on the plant you’re pruning and the size of the branch you’re cutting.
The experts advised: “Sharp, clean pruning shears are a good all-purpose tool. However, for larger branches, you may need to use a saw. They warned that using the wrong tools can “damage your plants” and make the pruning process “more difficult” than it needs to be.
If gardeners are using a dull blade, it will tear your plants instead of cutting them cleanly. This can damage both the plant and the tool itself. Instead make sure to always sharpen the blades before using them, and if they start to get dull in the middle of a job, stop, and sharpen them again.
Even using a blade that’s too big or too small for the job can make it difficult to control the cuts. It’s important to choose a blade that’s the right size for the plant you’re pruning.
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