Wallin Farms
Greenhouses & Nursery
Growers of annuals
The Fundamentals of Pruning
| (A) For overgrown
shrubs (Lilacs, Rhodos, etc.) take out
two big branches annually otherwise shrubs will
drown in own sap. (B) For twiggy shrubs remove from base. |
(C)
Crew cut (D) Undesirable (E) To force twigginess at bottom. Yews should be pruned as growth starts. |
(A) Pendulous growing shrubs like some Forsythia, Weigela, etc., should have old wood cut out at the ground level. (C) Those that throw leggy stems should have the tips cut back to a side bud. This will make them thick at the bottom. Pruning is done for shape and to produce the best crop of flowers and fruit., next year. When the flowering buds form on your shrub, write the date in your note book. As a good general rule, on shrubs and trees that bloom after July, prune in WINTER OR EARLY SPRING TO MAKE THEM GROW AS MUCH NEW WOOD AS POSSIBLE...as flower buds are formed on that years growth.
Shrubs that bloom in spring such as Almonds, Spireas, Lilac all bloom on new growth from the previous year. Prune this type IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FLOWERS ARE GONE. Try and cut off all spent flowers that you can reach because this stops seed production which saps the energy of your plant.
CLEMATIS...roots are long and deep and like it cool and damp. Plant ground covers or use mulch around roots. To plant, dig the hole 1" deeper than the sides of the pot. Remove plant from pot. This will put the crown deep enough to protect the plant from rabbits, deer and mice from eating the crown. The plant will grow back from the crown buried at this depth. Prune first year 6-12 inches from ground and pinch out the growing tips to promote branching. Fertilizer, such as 5-10-10, should be applied twice during the growing season. Only Jackmanii and Ernest Markham should be cut back to one foot every year because they bloom solely on new wood. Use pine branches in the winter as you do for other perennials. Each spring apply 1/2 cup dolomitic lime around plant, work into the soil and water in. Vines do not like overhead water hitting the leaves. Leaf diseases result.
SYRINGA-LILAC:
Cutting off the spent flowers right after blooming will give you twice
the flowers as they bloom on the previous seasons
growth. Lilac old fashioned (vulgaris)
needs to have the 3 oldest, thickest branches cut out right to the ground
allowing the new growth to grow up.
The best flowers are on the newer growth and it also effectively shortens the
lilac. French Lilacs are grafted and grow like a tree, only cut back to
the main stem when pruning. Apply one half pound of dolomitic lime each year.
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GROWING TIPS FOR PEONIES: Peonies are not in the least bit finicky about soils, but it makes sense, when planting a very long-lived plant, to get things off to a good start. To do this, select a well-drained site in full sun. Dig the hole wider than the container but no deeper, as the eyes of the tubers of the peony are planted in the pot for the correct growing depth of 1-1/2 to 2 inches below the surface of the ground. (Planted too deep peonies will not bloom as the eyes do not go into dormancy. Failure to bloom also results from immature tubers containing less than 5 eyes). Place the topsoil on one side and cart the subsoil away, replacing it with rich topsoil mix of peat moss or screened compost. Peonies prefer soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline, but are tolerant of a wide range of soil acidity. A handful of dolomitic limestone mixed in with the prepared soil will help assure their preference. Do not use manure in any form in the planting. Use peony hoops applied early in the spring. Peonies are great feeders and should be fertilized annually after bloom with a balanced 10-10-10 timed released fertilizer, though they will go quite happily for years without extra food. They do not like it when grass grows too densely around them, but come back quickly when it is removed. All peonies bloom in June and they make delightful cut flowers. When cut in heavy bud, they will open and keep a week in water. Snip off any seed pods that develop after bloom. Always leave a set of three leaflets when cutting flowers off as peonies continue to store food in the tuber for next year's flowers. September is the best time to transplant your peony. The peony has stored enough strength for another year. Dig up the root being careful not to break off the red eyes. Rinse off with water, cut back the top foliage and replant in the new spot making sure that the red eyes on the tuber are no more than 1-1/2 to 2 inches below the surface of the ground.
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