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Most gardeners know that achieving a beautiful garden takes a great deal of time, energy and patience. Even "no-care" perennials require some amount of work to keep them looking and performing at their best. Pruning is what sets the fair garden apart from the exceptional one.
Pruning is not a term normally associated with perennials or herbaceous plants. But each time we remove a spent blossom, cut back tatty old growth or pinch back stems, we are actually pruning. What, how and when to prune perennials depends on many factors, including the age of the plant, the season, and the individual gardener's objectives. Often times your plants will tell you by their appearance what is needed and when. Learn to listen to your plants and don't be afraid to experiment with different techniques and objectives. Always remember that perennials will come back the next year in their original state, no matter what type of pruning you performed the previous season.
Pruning objectives
- Extend bloom time or promote repeat blooms: A plant's primary goal is to reproduce. A flower or blossom eventually turns to seed, which is released to complete the life cycle. By removing faded or spent blossoms from a plant before it turns to seed, we can often encourage the plant to produce new flowers. This process, called deadheading, forces the plant to put energy into flower production, rather than seed production.
- Increase flower size or number: Removing specific buds from a plant can affect the number and size of the flowers the plant produces. For example, if the terminal or end bud is removed, side shoots will produce many small flowers. If the auxiliary, or side, buds are removed, the terminal bud will produce one large flower.
- Stagger plant heights or bloom times: Gardeners can influence a group of identical plants to mature to different heights and bloom time by cutting back or disbudding. This can extend the bloom time of a large group of like perennials and can add interest to mass plantings.
- Reduce plant height: Cutting back plants early in the growing cycle can limit the height of overall the plant, thus eliminating the need for unsightly staking later in the season.
- Keep plants in their space: As gardens mature, plants often grow too large for their original space. Pruning off side branches, or even cutting a plant down to the ground after flowering, can give neighboring plants the space needed to perform.
- Encourage new growth and enhance the overall appearance: Removing old, browning foliage or overgrown, tatty growth can not only improve the look of a plant, but also can promote lush new growth from the base. The new growth is more vigorous and less stressed than old, dying foliage and less likely to fall prey to pests and disease.
- Regenerate or extend the life of the plant: Some plants can literally exhaust all of their energy in an attempt to produce flowers/seed and are not able to form buds for the following season. Cutting a plant down to stimulate vegetative growth rather than flower production can prolong the life of certain perennials.
- Prevent or control pests and disease: Thinning plants to improve air circulation and light penetration can inhibit disease and pests. Cutting our any dead or damaged foliage can also prevent further infection.
Types of pruning
Deadheading
Deadheading, or removing spent blossoms, is a constant throughout the growing season. Sometimes you need to remove individual dead flowers, a large cluster of flowers or even an entire stalk. Each plant is different and may require different approaches. A key thing to look for when deadheading; however, is the presence of new buds. As a general rule, deadhead down to the new buds.
Cutting back
Cutting back, or shearing as is it sometimes called, generally refers to the removal of foliage, even a significant amount, as well as buds and spent blossoms. This pruning technique is helpful when traditional deadheading is not appropriate. It is also used to regenerate a plant, to control height, or to keep plants within bounds.
Pinching
Pinching is the most conservative pruning you can do to a plant. It involves removing only the growing tips and first set of leaves of a plant. Pinching is used to promote more but smaller flowers on a plant and can also be helpful to prevent plants from growing too tall or out of bounds.
Thinning
Thinning involves removing entire stems or branches to the ground to promote increase air circulation, control the shape of the plant, and produce sturdier stems. As a general rule, never thin more than one third of the stems of any given plant.
Disbudding
By removing flower buds, you can direct the number, size and location of the flowers. When removing buds, do so before they get too large or a scar will be left.
Dead leafing
As strange as it may sound, removing old, dry and dying leaves is actually a form of pruning. This technique is mostly used in the late summer or fall as plant begin to dies back. Removing leaves keeps the garden neat and tidy and helps prevent disease and pest infestations.
For information on gardening topics, please contact the Colorado Master Gardeners in Boulder County at 303-678-6238.
For more information on Gardening, contact your
local Colorado State University Extension office. |
