Spring Pruning
024 – Spring Pruning
It’s here! Time to start working in the garden again. The winter weather has been odd, to say the least. Not much winter, not very cold . . . so far. Could we get an arctic blast like the South has suffered the past week or so? Sure. It’s unlikely we would see temperatures dip below the 20s, but still possible. That’s why dormant pruning is a bit selective right now. Too early and a cold snap could negate your perfect pruning. Before you race to the garden shed, dust off the sun hat, and start sharpening your tools, let’s look at which plants are ready to work on in your garden.
First, we’ll look at what not to prune yet. Plants to wait on fall into two categories. The first, and most obvious, is the spring bloomers. These plants will bloom on last year’s wood and the flower buds are already formed and ready. Pruning now will reduce or eliminate the spring show in your yard. This group includes shrubs such as forsythia, lilac, and spring flowering ornamental trees such as plum, pear, and crabapple. The exception is fruit-bearing trees. More on that in a moment.
The second category of plants to wait on includes the more tender woody plants like roses. Yes, roses are tough, but pruning a little too early can cause stem dieback if we get a surprise hard freeze. If that happens, you will have to re-prune to avoid potential disease problems later. There are a number of garden plants that fall into this category, including some of your flowering perennials which, hopefully, you left undisturbed since last fall.
On the subject of fruit trees, it is necessary to clear up some details so you, your neighbors, and anyone else who listens will understand this is not just hack-and-chop! Please, do not just start cutting branches on your fruit trees. Please, do not have the tree-trimming company prune your fruit trees just because they happen to be there trimming your shade trees. We all know it in the back of our minds, but fruit trees are a different breed and require careful analysis and pruning to maintain strong structure and best production. And please don’t wait until your fruit trees have been in for five years before you begin to train them. Early training helps avoid problems later.
We all know there are different varieties of fruit trees. Apple, pear, peach, plum, etc. Within each of those, there are different cultivars as well. Think of Red Delicious apple or Santa Rosa plum. Most people also know there are different sizes of fruit trees. Standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf. But there are further divisions as well. Apples, for instance, fruit in three different ways: tip-bearing, spur bearing, and some that do both.
Hopefully, the reader can get an indication of where we’re going with this. Each species has different growth characteristics and must be pruned accordingly. Different tree sizes require different techniques for the best results. And, finally, if a species has different fruiting methods unique to that species, it requires another set of skills to properly prune for production and health without eliminating your fruit. When this happens, it could take up to three years to recover and start producing again. And there is always the issue of age to contend with. A mature orchard will be pruned differently than young trees.
The message here is, don’t let just anyone prune your fruit trees. Whether you have one tree in your back yard, or an orchard of hundreds, hire a professional with references validating his or her skill. And if you’re a professional who lacks this skill, let’s talk. The Horticoach has over 40 years of experience working with small home orchards as well as larger production plantings. Call The Horticoach today!
See you in the orchard!
The Horticoach