Is pruning the next task on your gardening to-do list? If so, you must be careful! Trimming your plants can be tricky, especially in the fall.
One wrong cut can prevent your beautiful plants from blooming again! Trust me, I learned this the hard way. I remember the first time I started pruning my plants and didn’t pay attention at all, which resulted in them being badly damaged!
Then I started researching which techniques to use and the best time to prune my plants. After discovering this, I began noticing where I had made mistakes! And let me tell you, missteps can happen much more easily than you might think.
That’s why I want to share some common mistakes to avoid while trimming your plants that helped me a lot! These tricks will be useful for those of you who are struggling with pruning (just as I was).
#1 Don’t Trim Your Plants Right After The Leaves Start Falling
You might think that pruning right after the leaves fall is a good idea, but it actually isn’t! It’s best to wait a little longer until all the leaves from your trees, shrubs, and plants have fallen.
One of the most important steps is to prune them during their dormant stage. If you trim them before, when the plants are still actively growing, the new growth won’t harden before winter arrives!
#2 Pay Attention To Temperature Before Pruning
With fall comes a lot of unexpected temperatures! Trimming when it’s cold isn’t a good choice, so you should definitely skip it.
Wondering why? Well, it’s because branches of your trees could break without warning, which can be very dangerous! You don’t want to risk being hit by a heavy branch, right?
Also, avoid pruning on rainy days because wet conditions can increase the risk of diseases. Wait at least one week after rainfall before continuing with the work!
If the temperature drops below 25°F, it’s best not to trim your trees. You should wait until the weather warms up a little bit!
#3 Getting The Right Gardening Tools Is Important For Your Plants’ Health
You should invest in high-quality gardening tools! Using dull shears can damage your plants. They need a good cut, which is why you should have sharp shears.
There’s also one more thing you should bear in mind. After you’re done with trimming, make sure to clean and disinfect your tools! By doing this, you’ll prevent diseases from spreading throughout your garden.
#4 Using The Wrong Trimming Technique
Using the wrong technique while pruning is a big mistake, so here are two you should never do! As for trees, snipping the tips of the branches is one of the worst pruning mistakes that can be made.
For flowers, you should avoid the shearing or hedging method. These techniques can harm your plant’s health and cause a lot of stress!
You should only remove damaged or wilted leaves. Always try to make cuts just above the bud, but don’t prune too close!
So, here they are, pruning mistakes that you should avoid at all cost! By following these steps, your plants will get better and have healthier growth.
That’s how I managed to keep my garden blooming with colorful flowers, looking like a place from paradise just by staying away from the wrong way of pruning! Now it’s your turn to correct all the mistakes you might have made while trimming!
Good luck!