Pruning Basics 

Keep it simple and it will be simple to keep


As a pruning enthusiast, I’m happy to share my ‘pruning basics’ or guidelines, as I see them, to make your pruning easier and more effective.

Many people think that pruning is only for professionals, but it’s not, and THAT is what this site is all about. It’s true, pruning is only one small part of the world of gardening, but from my perspective it’s one of the most important, and rewarding. I also believe it’s the most meaningful. Now, don’t misunderstand, there are many things you need to do in a garden, and for those things you need a professional, including heavy duty pruning. But hand pruning, where I believe the magic happens, that YOU can do.

When I say 'basics', I mean my guidelines, and the main purpose of these guidelines is to make pruning accessible to everyone, everywhere, worldwide. Regardless of whether they have an indoor or outdoor garden.

For some strange reason, most of us were educated not to touch plants. We could see them, but were always told that "someone else will take care of them". That’s probably right – there will always be someone to take care of them, but the truth is that while people all around the world spend more and more time in front of screens, they lose the connection with one of the most important things in life - the ground and nature. 
I'm not going to give you a lecture about your mobile phone, or watching TV. I will however say this: gardening can have a magnificent and positive influence on your life. It will ground you and bring you closer to nature, and whether you know it or not, that always feels good. Therefore, my guide-lines won’t be about how to prune trees, or how to do renewal pruning for grape vines. I like keeping it simple, so that it’s simple to keep, and that's my first and most important rule – keep it simple.

Pruning Basics 

My 8 rules of thumb

Pruning basics

  1. Enjoy it - Think of it as a fun activity, not as a chore to get done.
  2. Smile - You’re out there now. Breath in the fresh air, feel the elements, take in the peace and quiet and smile – you’re alive.
  3. Think positive - Well you don't really have to - this part will come naturally while pruning.
  4. No hand saws - Generally speaking, we are not going to deal with branches that are over an inch wide.
  5. No chain saws – See rule #4.
  6. No ladders – As a general guide, we’ll only be taking care of the "low hanging fruits". We won’t prune anything that is hanging higher than your shoulders.
  7. Watering – Wet the soil before pruning, but make sure not to flood it.
  8. Diseases - Please avoid pruning if your plant is covered with aphids or fungus. It’s better to take care of any diseases first and prune later.

As promised:

We will be keeping it simple, so that it’s simple to keep!

Pruning Basics
 
What would you like to achieve?

Now that we have covered my basic rules and guidelines of pruning, let’s talk about the bottom line - what would you like to achieve? I assume you have two main goals:

1. Additional Bloom - who wouldn’t want to see more color and bloom in their garden? Especially when they themselves make it happen!

2. Aesthetics – again, we all want our plants to look great. Happier and healthier. 

O.K. then, let’s move onto the "how".

Providing general guidelines on 'how to prune' any kind of plant is important, but there are plants, and there is YOUR plant. So despite there being loads of information on this site, I also provide specific and personalized support. If something wasn't clear, or you're not sure of your plant's name, simply send me a picture with your question. Use the form below and I'll get back to you. In the mean time, see what others are asking. 

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