In the News - February 2008
Your guide to pruning
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 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.
February 29, 2008
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialists
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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