Vine Pruning
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Vine pruning is not difficult and we can show you how!
While climbing vines do their part to add layers and depth to the landscape of your yard and garden, they do demand attention at certain times of the year, to keep them growing healthily and vigorously.
Whether your vines are climbing an old fence, the handrails of your front porch, or an erected trellis in a beautiful garden bower, certain sections of these vines must be snipped and pruned in order for the healthy areas to continue with their growth, beautifying your garden space.
Make sure you have the proper tools on hand before you begin pruning your climbers. Pruning clippers/shears must be extra sharp in order to do their job. Dull shears can actually damage your vines by leaving jagged cuts or splintering branches instead of providing the cleanest of cuts.
Dully cut branches are not only less attractive, while these cuts are healing, they are easy prey for insect infestation or disease.
Late winter, after the last snow and frost, is the best time to prune many of your hardiest vines such as various types of clematis, grapes, wisteria, and roses. If you are planning on tackling your roses, of course a pair of thick gloves should be on your shopping list as well.
With all climbers, you need to prune and cut back the dead or dying areas in order to keep new growth growing. If this is your first attempt at pruning, you should not be afraid. Hardy climbers such as your grapes can take beginners’ mistakes and still rebound, forming new growth come spring.
You will get your exercise pruning your grapes back as experts suggest that nearly 90% of the plant should be cut away in late winter to stimulate the new growth of the upcoming season, so pace yourself!
Make deliberate cuts with each attempt, taking care to leave the healthiest buds alone, cutting right above them on your wisteria or clematis. Thinning these plants of the dead branches and ratty stragglers can help them retain their shape while also increasing your chances for more blooms in the spring, so be diligent.
As always, if any branches or buds appear infected with a pest or disease, cut them back immediately in hopes of stopping the unsightly infections from spreading throughout the plant. When pruning, you can think of yourself as doctor and stylist in one, making sure your plants remain healthy while shaping and training them as you desire.
Most vines and hardy climbers require a pruning session only once a year in order to maintain their growth throughout the seasons. As always, it is extremely helpful to mulch and fertilize your valued plants, especially after pruning in order to quickly supply the new growth with the necessary nutrients. An attentive showering of water from your garden hose reel after mulching provides the required water, motivating growth in burgeoning sections.
With this once a year attention, you can make sure your vines grow their best and beautify your lawn and garden year round.
About the author: Jon Bassfarm is an Internet content writer who enjoys researching and writing about many subjects including garden hose reel, landscaping, and much more.
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