Questions tagged [pruning]

Questions about how to best cut plant branches, vines or stems. For questions about root pruning please use the [root-pruning] tag.

"Pruning" is the act of cutting a plant's branch (typically of a or ), or (of a , , etc.).

Pruning is performed primarily to produce a better shaped plant, or to promote new growth of branches or .

In many cases, prunings (i.e. the discarded branches) can be used as to create new plants.

In rare situation even roots could be pruned to remove rotten parts, or to be able to remove a plant from an outgrown pot, etc. For questions like these use the tag.

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Should I pinch early pear blossoms to encourage stronger tree and better season?

I have a young pear tree that has several varieties of pears grafted on it. It is starting to blossom. Should I pinch these early blossoms? Will the tree divert resources to making more leaves and produce a second wave of blossoms? How many of these…
Om Patange
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What is this bush/tree and can it be heavily pruned?

I have this growing in our back yard here in the Pacific North West US: (Photo taken in late March) It's full of these drooping white flowers and (what I think are) new red leaves. Feels kind of tropical. Right now it's about 10' tall. I'm not…
DA.
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How do I trim my Japanese Maple to determine its shape?

The tree was put in the ground about 6 years ago. For the most part, I have let it grow with no interference; only trimming extra long branches. I lost a middle branch growing upwards in year 2 due to freezing weather. I would like it to…
Evil Elf
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When and how should a wisteria be pruned?

I just moved into a house which has two well established wisteria plants growing on the front of it. To our knowledge, it's been here for about 30+ years and we'd like to get it under a little control with it being so thick. You can see from the…
Danny
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How to grow new leaves on rubber plant after they fall off

I have a rubber plant that lost quite few leaves shortly after we got it. We've got it back on track and are seeing some new chutes, but I'm wondering if there's a way to grow new leaves on the stems that lost most of them? Thanks!
Roy Truelove
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Is there a way to curb wisteria growth or to trim it quick and easy?

It is possible to contain growth of Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus) with low votage electric wire. A friend has asked me if something equivalent existed for wisteria. The low voltage wire does NOT work for wisteria. So What else ? Any tricks or tips to…
Anna
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How long do I wait to wire my ficus bonsai after re-potting it?

I recently got a ficus bonsai 3 days ago. It's responding well, however, it needs some wiring, pruning and general reshaping before the spring/summer growth. I was wondering how long should I wait before re-wiring it. I was going to wait until…
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Why does it matter so much in which season to prune?

When I read about pruning the proper season to do it is often specified, and differs between plants. Why should the season matter? Are there actual risks to pruning at the wrong time, or is it just a matter of the time a plant takes to to start…
Aaron Brick
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How & when should I prune a Weigela bush?

I have a medium sized Weigela bush in my garden. Can anyone advise me on how best to prune it, when to prune it and how often? There is lots of new green growth on the tips of the stems that flowered this year. Does the plant flower from there…
Danny
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Why does this sage look different than what is in stores?

Does anyone recognize this variety? Is it normal for sage to have a woody base? Also, could you recommend how to prune it please? It has been abandoned for years. EDIT: Adding close ups. EDIT 2: Adding soil analysis.
ammoun
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Where to prune an indoor avocado tree?

I want to prune my indoor avocado tree to increase branching, and make it more bushy, not just one wobbly stem. Where should I cut it?
DLane
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How long will it take to grow branches back on a Green Giant?

I just had an incompetent Arborist prune my Green Giant. For some unknown reason he cut 4 branches totally off leaving a huge bald spot front and center of my row a arborvitaes. They claim it will grow back by next year, but I do not believe this…
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Moving/trimming 35 year old avocado tree grown from seed

I am moving cross-country (Minnesota to northern New York) and want to bring my double-stem, 35-year-old avocado tree with me but it's too big to fit in the car (9 feet tall and 6 feet wide). If I trim it back drastically now (end of July) will it…
MsGuac
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Should you prune your sage if you don't need it?

I have a sage that is starting to bush out with multiple branches, but I don't need any yet. Should I prune it back to just a couple inches tall? I plan to transplant it into the home garden this fall as it will be like a nursery bush at the end of…
black thumb
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The correct way to prune a rosemary

My garden has been on the backburner for a couple of years and my rosemary is woody and lacking leaves. I'm theoretically growing it to eat, rather than look at, so how best do I encourage soft growth?
SAM A
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