Planting Tips

Chapter 41 How To Prune Flowering Shrubs

The pruning time of flowering shrubs depends on the time of flowering and the part where the flower buds are born.

(1) For shrubs that bloom in early spring, such as forsythia, winter jasmine, elm leaf plum, crabapple, clove, green peach, bauhinia, etc., the flower buds are formed in the previous year and grow on the branches of the previous year. Light pruning, only 1/5 of the branches can be cut off.

(2) Shrubs that bloom in summer and autumn, such as hibiscus, crape myrtle, rose, pearl plum, rose, four seasons brocade, etc., should be re-cut during the winter dormant period, and 2/3 of the branches can be cut off.

(3) For shrubs that can see both flowers and fruits, such as honeysuckle, water wolfberry, rowan, etc., they can be lightly pruned during the dormant period in winter, and only 1/5 to 1/4 of the branches should be cut off.

(4) For shrubs with flowering perennial branches, such as crabapple and bauhinia, the old branches should be protected and cultivated, and the dead branches, diseased and insect branches, and over-dense weak branches should be thinned out.

(5) Types that not only view flowers but also view branches and leaves, such as red Swiss wood, Ditang, etc., should be pruned heavily in Zhizhi season or early spring, and lightly pruned thereafter.Make it germinate most branches and leaves.

(End of this chapter)