Pruning Around the Farm
Pruning chores are in full swing at my Bedford, New York farm.
Pruning is about more than just looks; proper pruning improves the health of the plants, prevents disease, and encourages better flowering. There are different pruning strategies for different times of the year, but overall the goals are the same - to control shape, to keep bushes and trees fresh and open, and to allow for better air circulation through the center of the specimen. Over the last few weeks, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew have been busy pruning various plantings around the farm - the apple trees, the Rose of Sharon shrubs, and the many rose bushes in my Flower Cutting Garden.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Here is what the rose bushes look like before any of the pruning begins. These roses grow along the fence inside my Flower Cutting Garden. In general, pruning is done before the plant breaks dormancy. This will be early in the year in warm climates, and anytime between January and April in cold climates.
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- Pruning means to lop or cut off any superfluous branches or shoots for better-shaped or more fruitful growth. These roses have thrived in this location, looking fuller every year – in part because of regular pruning.
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- When pruning roses, my gardeners assess each bush from the bottom and start cutting out any of the “three Ds” – dead, damaged or diseased branches.
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- Cutting away the dead wood first helps to see the shape of the plant without distraction. Here, Gavin, who is new to our gardening team, shows where he will prune this branch.
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- Always just above a bud eye. The “bud eye” refers to the area on the stem where branching occurs. Dead wood is typically brown in color, so it is very easy to identify.
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- When cutting, look for white inside the stem. If it’s brown, cut further down.
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- Gavin also looks for any thin or twiggy canes – in general, those that are less than the diameter of a pencil.
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- Here, Ryan cuts from above – the more detailed branches that give the bush its shape. He also wears good protective gloves – roses are very thorny. These are my Martha Stewart Non-Slip Grip Garden Gloves available on QVC.
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- Ryan also looks for any stems that cross or rub together.
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- Removing these from the bottom ensures better growth – when parts of a plant are pruned off it uses its energy to produce new stems and leaves.
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- And always remove weak canes so that the plant can focus strength into a few strong main canes.
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- This section is all done. Pruning the roses keeps the bushes in proportion to the rest of the garden. It is a time consuming task, but a very crucial one for the wellness of these specimens.
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- Not long ago, Chhewang also tackled the apple trees near the Contemporary House. I have many, many apple trees at the farm, and a good number of them are at least 50-years old, so they were already here when I purchased the property. On healthy trees, about a third of the growth can be pruned. Spur branches where the apple tree flowers and sets fruit are the most preferred.
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- Here’s Gavin on another apple tree in this area. Pruning encourages the tree to grow more of these fruiting spurs by eliminating competing suckers and unproductive wood. Some branches that are tougher to cut with regular hand pruners are carefully removed with sharp shears.
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- Here’s Chhewang tending to the gooseberry bushes, which are also pruned regularly to encourage productivity.
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- The Rose of Sharon shrubs also needed some attention. Rose of Sharon flowers on growth from the current year, so pruning may be done in late fall, in winter, or now – early spring – before any buds form. Chhewang carefully selects his cuts, making sure to cut branches where they appear overcrowded.
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- He also removes older, inner branches that block sunlight or disturb an open and airy appearance. Chhewang has become an excellent pruner, and oversees a lot of the smaller tree pruning projects at the farm.
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- Here, you can see the healthy wood – it is always greenish white.
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- All the cuttings are collected neatly on a nearby tarp and taken to the pile for chipping.
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- Elsewhere around the farm, the crew rakes away lots of leaves and debris that have accumulated on the beds during winter.
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- Because spring has arrived and flowers are beginning to sprout everywhere – the areas need to be cleared so the light can reach these plants. I can’t wait to see everything in bloom! Do you see signs of spring emergence around your home?
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