When to prune Melbourne's most popular trees & Shrubs Part 1.
When to prune Melbourne's most popular trees & Shrubs Part 1.
By Dominic Hooghuis - DVH Property Maintenance - www.dvh-maiuntenance.com
Camellias:
An established Camellia just needs a light annual trim to keep it maintained. Once it’s finished flowering you can prune it a little harder to pull it back into a desired form. Harder pruning is acceptable & will rejuvenate the shrub for years to come, but be aware that it may not flower the following year.
Crepe Myrtles:
Pruning a crepe myrtle is easy. Once the flowers have finished you can prune it approx. 30cms overall. Don’t be afraid to prune harder though as a new shoot will grow from that point. You can propagate Crepe Myrtles from hard wood cuttings taken in the winter.
Roses:
Roses should be pruned twice a year. Summer pruning is simple: Remove the spent flowers, this is called dead-heading.
Winter pruning is a little more involved. Roses need to be pruned harder in winter to encourage good, strong & healthy growth in Spring. Winter pruning should be carried out in late June or July, in colder areas of Australia such as Melbourne wait until August to prune them as the frost can disturb the new shoots. Pruning roses can be on the more difficult side so if you need help please don’t hesitate to contact one our friendly staff for more info:
Deciduous Fruit Trees:
Deciduous fruit trees such as pears, apples & plums are best pruned in the winter. These trees will fruit well whether or not they are pruned, but if the trees grow too tall the fruit is high & hard to reach. The aim of pruning fruit trees in the home garden is to assist the tree to produce reliable quality crops, with good size fruit on a manageable size tree.
Magnolias
Deciduous Magnolias should be pruned in late winter after they’ve finished flowering. Evergreen Magnolias can be pruned in early spring but not on a hot day.