Released Feb. 29, 2008
SEARCY, Ark. -- Gardeners often have extreme reactions to the task of pruning; they either hesitate and rarely prune or they prune with carefree abandon, says Sherri Sanders, White County extension agent with the U of A Division of Agriculture.
"Both approaches can be successful or disastrous depending on the plant, but it's more important to know that regular pruning can benefit both the plants and the person doing the pruning," Sanders says.
Pruning promotes the health of a plant, tree, or shrub, while adding to the overall appearance of your garden or yard, Sanders notes.
She says gardeners prune to exert some influence in the garden and shape the growth of their cherished plants.
"There's often an unmistakable look of satisfaction on a gardener's face when his or her garden has been tidied by pruning," the county agent says. The same experience is often had when a fruit or nut tree bears with abundance after proper pruning, or when the uneven canopy of a shade tree fills in as a result of pruning.
Most plants, trees, and shrubs will display their appreciation for pruning with healthy, balanced growth. For the plant, regular pruning can make it stronger and more able to resist high winds, ice storms, and snow damage, Sanders says.
"Without pruning, many plants can fall victim to disease or may suffer from crowding due to excessive growth," she adds.
Contrary to popular opinion, pruning is a simple craft that any gardener can learn easily and, with diligent practice, raise to an artistic form, according to Sanders.
"The basic craft of pruning starts with how to make a cut that protects the plants from invasive diseases and promotes natural healing," she says. "Knowing the proper time of year to cut for desired effects will greatly increase your chances for success. It's also helpful to know when not to prune. Shaping young shoots, laterals, and branches for better growth or greater bloom by bending, tying, weighting, or spreading without making a single cut is a new efficient way to train young plants so they need much less pruning as they mature."
When each cut causes doubt or worry, she says, pruning becomes a daunting venture and a far cry from art.
"Plants have a remarkable life force," Sanders says. "They very seldom die outright from a mishap here or there. They have many amazing ways of healing themselves, and pruning mistakes can often be easily fixed the very same season or the following year or two."
Pruning confidence, along with refinements, will come with practice. Once you learn how to identify a plant's basic anatomy and growth habits, it's possible to prune it correctly without even knowing its name.
In a short time, pruning will become as reflexive as raking leaves or turning a compost pile, says Sanders.
For more information about horticulture, contact your county extension agent or visit http://www.uaex.edu and select Home and Garden. There is a link for extension's Horticulture Highlights 2008 CD, which contains a wealth of horticultural information.
The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
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http://www.uaex.edu/news/february2008/0229pruning.htm
Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207, ljames@uaex.edu
