Mountain Gardener by Betty Hensley
How Pruning Works
The key fact to all pruning is that when material is removed from a plant, the plant will usually respond by making new growth elsewhere. Before making a single cut, always assess the whole plant, as there are many good reasons to prune, which include removing dead, diseased, or damaged wood to insure continued good health, improve flowering, or fruit quality and production, or shaping young plants to a desired form.
Pruning cuts should always be as small, clean, and neat as possible, with your goal being to help the plant mend rapidly. Young wood heals fastest, so when ever possible, prune shoots before they become woody and prune twigs before the become branches. Large wounds, especially those with torn or bruised tissue, allow easy access to disease-causing organisms. Pruning diseased wood is accomplished by removing the diseased stem portion plus an additional 6 inches of pale, healthy looking wood. Finish the cut 1/4th inch above the bud or at the junction. Horticulturists now advise against using tree paint on pruning cuts. Not only are there no known benefits, but it may actually promote wood rot by preventing the wound from drying.
Here in Tuolumne County we are entering the best time for pruning most plants and trees; late winter to early spring before new growth begins. Pruning methods include special techniques such as pinching, thinning, disbudding, deadheading and cutting back. After this early spring pruning is finished, keep your plants and trees well watered. Pruning induces new growth and water is crucial to maintaining it.
Here’s a little recipe that is nontoxic to the environment and is a natural fungicide. Use Baking Soda Spray on plants to prevent fungal spores from penetrating plant tissue. In addition, it can halt the spread of an established infection.
Baking Soda Spray:
1 tbsp. baking soda
1 gallon water
1/4 tsp. insecticidal soap
Dissolve the baking soda in the water and then add the soap. Fill a spray can or bottle with this solution, spraying both sides of each leaf. Repeat every 5 to 7 days until the symptoms disappear. To prevent another outbreak, the following year begin spraying in the spring and continue into the fall. In the summer avoid mid-day treatments.
This recipe is also effective against powdery mildews, leaf blight, and leaf spots.
Obviously there isn’t enough room in my column to thoroughly cover all aspects of pruning, so if you have a certain pruning question, please contact the University of California-Cooperative Extension at 533-5695, or email me at bettyhensley@mlode.com.
