The New Year has passed, and winter is drawing to a close. Some gardeners may already be preparing for early spring pruning, but others are still unsure of what they should be doing.

Early spring is a great time to prune plants. But pruning is not an easy task; it requires a lot of knowledge and skill. Next, we will discuss the considerations for early spring pruning.

Early Spring Pruning Tips

Proper pruning is important, and it provides these important benefits

-To keep plants alive.

-To create and maintain good branch or plant structure

-To increase the flower or fruit production of fruit trees

-To improve overall health and air flow.

-To keep the size of the plants in line with the space in which they are planted.

Many novice gardeners get confused when deciding when to prune, how much to prune, and the appropriate type of cutting to base their planting on. A common mistake is to prune purely according to the appearance of the plant, rather than looking at its natural growth factors: size, width, shape, growth rate.

The best plan of pruning must be based on the characteristics of the plant itself. If possible, it is important to start pruning when the plant is young, as pruned trees are easier to maintain.

Before Early Spring Pruning

The first step before early spring pruning is to identify the type of plant. More pruning of young, vigorous shrubs and trees will increase the amount of new growth. This means that the more frequently they are pruned, the more attention they may need to be put in. This is not a good decision. For older trees that have lost much of their vigor, good heavy pruning often stimulates new growth and helps produce more branches, flowers or fruit.

For flowering shrubs and trees, it is important to determine whether the species is flowering on new shoots in the current season or on growth from the previous season. Knowing this will help determine the timing of pruning and avoid cutting the wrong branches and leaving fewer potential flowers.

For plants that have already flowered, pruning during the dormant season prior to early spring and removing buds that grew in the spring will help the plant produce more flowers and develop a stronger branch structure. This also helps reduce the amount of time open wounds are susceptible to disease before active growth begins.

It is always good to remove any dead, diseased or dying material at any time. This will reduce stress on the plant, reduce the size of wounds from insect and disease damage, and allow the wounds to heal properly.

Proper Spring Pruning Tools

-Hand pruners: For smaller diameter branches, or soft flowers and vines.

-Pole pruners: Pruners with extension poles for pruning branches that are out of reach from the ground or from a ladder. Also available in saw form for cutting larger branches.

-Hedge shears: Used to shape shrubs, ideal for large, flat pruning areas.

-Chainsaw: For larger branches that cannot be cut with a pole saw or other method.

It is very important to disinfect the tools before pruning. And it is the dormant period of the plant before early spring pruning. During this period of reduced gardening work, gardeners also have plenty of time to carefully clean and disinfect tools. The easiest way to do this is with bleach and water, which can be done in every home.

After the early spring pruning, the plants will be in a phase of vigorous growth. Therefore, during the pruning process, especially when switching between pruning of different kinds of plants, tools should also be disinfected. Although it is uncommon to spread diseases through pruning, there is some risk, and disinfecting tools will greatly reduce this risk. After all, no one wants a lot of sick plants in their spring garden.

At Gardepot, we offer a variety of wholesale garden equipment and gardening guides. Please feel free to contact us for any needs or questions.