Spring Pruning

Okay, Nashville’s winter has been pretty darn good. These bright sunny days are a great time to get out and do the things that need to be done. We get questions about pruning every single day at our garden center, and we want to give you some directions before you get outside with your hedge trimmers.

TWO THOUGHTS ON PRUNING:
• Know why the plant is being pruned and what your goal is before you start
• Time your pruning properly. The wrong timing will result in no flowers or fruit.

SOME REASONS FOR PRUNING:
• Train the plant to a desired form or special garden form (i.e. topiary)
• Control the plant size
• Protect people and property
• Maintain plant health
• Remove dead or dying branches
• Remove branches that rub or are starting to grow through the center mass of the plant
• Remove unwanted suckers and water sprouts
• Remove branches injured by disease or severe insect infestation
• Rejuvenate and restore old plants
• Ensure the quality of flower, foliage, and stems
• Encourage flower and fruit development
• Maintain the density of a hedge
• Delay the bloom time for landscape plantings
• Encourage a second bloom on some plants by deadheading

IMPORTANT: Keep it clean! When removing diseased wood, clean your tools after each cut by immersing cutting blades in rubbing alcohol or wiping with a Clorox wipe.

For more information on pruning hydrangeas, click here.

FAQ: Why are random branches dying on my rhododendron?

"Random branches keep dying on my rhododendron. I cut them off, but then sometime later another branch wilts and dies. Why does it occur?"

This disease is commonly called Rhododendron Dieback. It's caused by a fungus (Botryosphaeria), and the symptoms are just as you describe: a branch wilts and dies on an otherwise healthy-looking plant. The bad news is that there's no sure cure for this disease, but keeping your plants healthy and unstressed will aid in control. Don't let them suffer from drought, cut off any diseased parts (sterilize your pruners with a 10% bleach solution to ensure you don't spread the disease), and make sure the plants are well mulched and in well drained soil. Planting a resistant variety helps. Boursalt, Cunningham's White, English Roseum, and Chionoides have shown resistance to this problem.