What is the best season to prune osmanthus branches?

When growing osmanthus, regular pruning is essential, because osmanthus has a relatively weak ability to branch out. If it is not pruned, one of its branches will grow very long, and the distance between leaves will become very long. At that time, the whole plant will become very ugly, and the flowers will be too sparse.

Pruning time

You can choose to prune the osmanthus tree in January or February each year , because this time is its dormant period, but if you just want to prune the plant slightly, you can do it all year round.

Some branches of the osmanthus tree grow relatively fast, so you can trim them slightly at this time. You can also trim off branches with insects. When pruning, do not choose weather with frequent rain, which will affect the healing of the plant's wounds.

Osmanthus pruning method

1. Pruning young trees

When pruning young trees, it is sufficient to retain a 50 to 60 cm main trunk and 3 to 5 side branches, and the rest should be cut off. Pruning young trees not only ensures nutrition, but also provides the basis for the development of beautiful osmanthus plant shape. Proper pruning may also make osmanthus bloom earlier.

2. Pruning of mature trees

The apical dominance of sweet osmanthus is very obvious, and the main trunk grows faster than the side branches, so when pruning, the main trunk should be pruned heavily, and the side branches should be pruned lightly or not at all. In addition, the weak branches, overcrowded branches, overgrown branches and inner branches should also be pruned to make the sweet osmanthus luxuriant and beautiful. Mature sweet osmanthus does not need major pruning, only appropriate shaping pruning is needed to maintain a beautiful tree shape.

3. Pruning old piles

Osmanthus has a strong ability to sprout, and old stumps should also be pruned. The pruning method is similar to that of mature trees. Old stumps need to be pruned back every 2 to 3 years. Pruning is generally carried out 10 days before budding in early spring. Before pruning, apply a fertilizer mixed with less than 5% urea and potassium dihydrogen phosphate. When pruning, cut off 2 to 3 year old branches and overly dense branches, and the cut should be smooth.