How to prune flower trees

When to prune flowering trees

Flower trees are pruned at different times depending on their variety, planting location and purpose. They are generally pruned during the winter dormancy period and the growth period.

How to prune branches and leaves of flower trees

Flower trees need to promptly remove branches that are not growing well, and prune away dense branches, diseased branches, old branches, overgrown branches, crossed branches and unsightly branches that appear during the growth process, to promote the overall growth of the plant and enhance the appreciation value of the flower trees.

1. Pinching and topping

If you want to prune flower trees, you must start preparing from the seedling stage. When the seedlings grow to a certain length, pinch and top the tallest and most vigorous branches to prevent the top of the plant from growing too tall, promote the development of side branches, and contribute to the beauty of the overall shape of the plant.

2. Shorten

When the main branches of a flower tree grow to a certain stage, they need to be pruned to stimulate the sprouting of branches.

3. Cut off diseased and insect-infested branches

Cut off diseased branches, dead branches and other harmful branches that appear during the growth process in time, and cut off diseased and insect-infected leaves and burn them to prevent the plants from being infected with serious diseases and pests.

4. Prune useless branches

Flower trees grow and develop relatively quickly, so they can be pruned frequently to cut off crossed branches, overlapping branches, horizontal branches, messy branches, entangled branches and other unsightly branches that do not conform to the shape, so that the plant can grow in the shape we want.

Flower tree pruning tips

The best time to prune flower trees is from September to November. Prune the dead flowers and leaves in time to concentrate nutrients on the sprouting of new branches.

During the growth period of flower trees, they need to be topped, trimmed and thinned out to concentrate nutrients on the branches and leaves that grow well, promoting the growth and flowering of the plants.

Flower tree pruning

New branches that sprout from adventitious buds on the branches will consume a lot of nutrients if the branches grow too much. They need to be pruned in time to promote flowering.

Flower trees can be pruned again every autumn to concentrate nutrients on thick, healthy branches, which will promote flowering next year.

Things to note when pruning flowers and trees

When pruning, the direction of the cut buds determines the future growth direction of the branches. Therefore, the overall shape of the plant should be considered when pruning. If you need to expand the crown, keep the outer cut buds. If you want to fill the empty space inside, the cut buds should be facing inward. In order to slow down the growth of seedlings, weak buds should be left as cut buds. If the tree is weak, choose full and strong buds.