Summer pruning is a wonderful way to check your plants’ growth throughout the year. Pruning is usually done to stimulate growth. Although winter pruning is common practice because it is done after harvest, it’s no secret that pruning in summer does wonders for the garden too!
Pruning, in general, is a beloved garden practice as it brings new life into plants in just a matter of minutes. It encourages new growth and creates a stunning new look for the yard. If you’re ever wondering if you should prune plants in summer, the answer is a resounding yes! Here are our reasons why:
1. Pruning Helps To Avoid Infections
One of the most important things to know in gardening is bacterial and fungal infections spread more easily in certain months. Fungal spores, in particular, are airborne during the summer season. Pruning can help prevent the spread of these infections! This is applicable for a number of plants, especially those in the Prunus family.
The Prunus family is made up of plants such as apricots, plums, gages, etc. The reason that these plants should only be trimmed in the summer is to reduce the risk of silver leaf disease; a condition they are especially susceptible to.
Silver leaf disease is caused by fungi that reproduce or release spores during the fall and winter months. The disease slowly progresses through the tree via the sap and the most commonly used remedy is to prune the plant back beyond the affected area and burn the cuttings. Not a normal prune, but a really brutal one.
Instead of subjecting your beautiful Prunus plants to this kind of treatment, it will be best just to prune them in the summer months and be done with it.
Here’s an extra tip: make a habit of using a good plant wound sealer to close up pruning cuts for more protection.
2. Pruning Helps Promote A Better Yield In Current Fruiting Plants
It is best to prune trained fruit trees in the late summer to prevent them from turning unruly. Plants grow more rapidly during the summer months. At this rate, energy is taken away from the fruiting buds that you worked so hard to cultivate throughout the year. Trained fruit trees are especially notorious for this so it’s best if they are not left to have their own way.
As the new shoots grow and spread their leaves, it casts shade on the fruits and prevents air from flowing as freely through the tree. Although you will still get fruit, they will grow much better in full sunlight and with a lot of air flowing through their branches. This guarantees you much larger, sweeter, and better-looking fruit.
With that being said, it is important to check unruly growth while removing branches that prevent light from reaching the interior of the tree. Remember that it is also necessary for air to be able to flow through a tree to keep it healthy.
3. Pruning Also Creates A Better Yield In Next Year’s Harvest
If you know how to prune your trees correctly, you’re probably aware of how helpful summer pruning is! Pruning trees in summer has been proven to help fruit-bearing trees yield more fruit.
When you prune the new leafy extensions of a plant between December to February, the buds that are left behind will sometimes turn into fruit buds. That means instead of getting even more leaves next year, you may get much more fruit. This is a great fringe benefit caused by pruning in the summer.
4. Pruning In The Summer Helps Keep Trees Manageable
The big difference between commercial orchards and the trees in your backyard is space. Commercial operations have countless acres to grow their trees, therefore it is difficult to keep up in terms of space, time, or expertise when working in your home’s garden.
If you allow your tree to grow too vigorously during the summer months, it can adversely affect your efforts to create a strong, healthy, and high yielding tree. It is important to restrict your tree’s height to a size you can easily manage.
Here’s something to remember: You should prune to control size in the summer and prune the shape during winter months.
5. Pruning Can Diversify Your Garden.
The major constraint to the amount and variety of trees that you plant is the space. When you prune in the summer months and keep your trees at a manageable level, you are able to plant more in a smaller area.
Unless you just want a single mighty tree, a good height for your trees is about six to eight feet tall. At this size, you can easily reach the canopy with your hands or a small stool. In addition to allowing you to plant a greater diversity of flora, it will make everything much easier for you.
Perfect For The Summer Sun
Let’s face it, it’s much more enjoyable to do gardening during the summer. The cold, damp, and all-around unfriendly winter months are quite discouraging when it comes to pruning.
Think about how fun it will be to go out on a perfect summer morning with a cup of coffee or tea (your choice) and take care of your plants. In addition to being easier in the summer months, you can make it a fun activity for your family rather than a chore. Finally, the result in your garden is a fulfilling way to end the day!
What To Prune In Summer
The question of when to prune plants is a general query. We recommend pruning dead growth and malformed shoots anytime to prevent infection. Regular trimming is also a good way to keep your garden in check. This summer, get on your A-game by pruning and keeping an eye on the deciduous fruit trees that you harvested and your roses.
Here are some tips for your early summer pruning:
- Artemisia – prune to ground
- Bulbs – prune those that are dying off
- Citrus, Grape, and Stone Fruit Trees – snip and thin out crops
- Pumpkin – tip-prune to produce side shoots
- Brugmansia, geranium, and woody herbs – tip-prune with a hedge clipper
- Topiary – clip and keep in shape
Pruning and shaping hedges, as well as tropical fruit trees, are perfect for late summer pruning. Don’t forget to regularly pick spent flowers from your garden to keep it tidy too.
Need An Extra Push?
Keep your plants healthy with better flowers or fruits by summer pruning. There are many benefits to pruning in the summer months that accrue not only to the plant but to the person doing the pruning. Now that you have a guide to help you throughout this summer, it is time to get out there and take care of your plants.
If you need a helping hand, try out our hedge trimming and pruning services in Melbourne. Taking care of your plants has never been this easy!
