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Friday, July 3, 2009

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Pruning plants makes them produce more fruit and flowers Some reasons for pruning your plants are to help young trees or shrubs develop proper structure, and remove dead, diseased or unwanted growth. This may include thinning the tree branches to let in more air and light, to keep plants in a desired size, to increase the amount of fruits and flowers, to alter shapes to your liking, to prevent future troubles like wind breakage and too heavy fruit crops, to rejuvenate old plants. You can also lessen transplanting shock by cutting off some of the branches to balance loss of roots. Having the right tools: Without the right tools, no pruning job can be successful. First, you need to have a good pair of pruning shears — a hedge shear and lopping shears. For large cuts you will need a saw. Remember to have at all times, pruning paint or sealant to seal all the wounds on the plants in order to stop disease entering the cuts. Where to make cuts on the plant: Whenever you approach a plant that you are going to prune for any reason — to take its flowers, to improve its shape, to make it bushier, or to make it more open, you should prune only above a bud, a small branch or even ground level. Proper pruning methods for all hedges: In pruning, it is important to trim the sides of hedges at an angle so that they will be broader at the bottom than on top. The angle ensures that the lower parts of the hedges will receive adequate sunlight. The cut is best achieved by applying the hedge shears diagonally from top to bottom and then trimming the top of the hedge to the desired height. On established and regularly groomed hedges, last year's pruning cuts will guide you in executing this year's pruning. Cut back new growth to just above older branches so that only short, new shoots are retained. If you are training a new hedge, give yourself a guide using two stakes and running a line between them. Pruning should be carried out two or three times per year — in spring and in summer. Power trimmers work well on young, short green shoots, but they may lacerate woody branches if they are not powerful enough for the job. Planting guide for June Vegetables: Collard, eggplant, garlic, lettuce, okra, peppers, spinach, turnips and tomato. Flowers: Aster, cosmos, gaillardia, marigold, portuluca, periwinkle, salvia, zinnia. Grasses: Bahia, Bermuda, centipede and St. Augustine For help with your garden problems, write to Garden Korner, P.O. Box N-3011, Nassau, Bahamas. Tuesday June 9, 2009