introduction to PruninG 85
Introduction to Pruning
P
runing is a term not normally associated with herbaceous plants, but
when we deadhead spent flowers, pinch stems or buds, and cut back
leggy plants, we are actually pruning. It also might be referred to as
grooming, shaping, shearing, or snipping. Whatever you like to call
it, the benefits to our perennial gardens are countless. Pruning is my
favorite thing to do in my gardens, far surpassing in my heart
planting, dividing, staking, or any other element of gardening
(weeding is not even in the race). I get excited writing, lecturing, even
just talking about pruning perennials because I believe that it is
critical to maintaining the beauty in the gardens we create.
In your personal gardens, your objectives, mood, and family and work
schedules will dictate if, when, and how often you’re able to prune your plants.
Sometimes I just don’t have the time, or the desire, to get to all the pruning
needed in my own gardens, and it shows. (That’s when I tell visitors it’s best to
view the gardens from a distance.) I know my gardens can wait for the day when I
can catch up with them. With the nature and siting of my house and gardens, I
don’t have to worry about keeping up with the neighbors, or even about their
chatter when things get a bit wild. If your garden style is more formal, or is in a
more formal setting (and you care what your neighbors think), or if you garden
for a public garden with scrutinizing visitors, you will need to keep up with the
pruning more diligently. If you get discouraged when you see pretty pictures of
gardens in books or lectures and think yours doesn’t stack up, remember that
those gardens are photographed only on their “good hair” days.
Sometimes it bothers me to see my gardens unkempt, and if I have the time, I
tear through them with shears and pruners flailing, trying to get everything
looking just right—definitely a woman with a mission! At other times it doesn’t
bother me as much that things need to be pruned. Go with your mood, but
always keep in mind that the time and hard work you put into your gardens will
help them reach their full potential. A well-tended perennial garden shows. Too
much neglect (for more than a year) will spell disaster.
In the landscape industry, a company can’t afford to be relaxed about pruning
their clients’ gardens. The company’s reputation depends on the appearance of
those gardens. Proper pruning will make the difference between a fair garden
and a distinctive one.Enjoy the beautiful autumn
season in the garden, as most
perennials are best left up for
the winter and pruned in the
spring. The exceptions are
perennials affected by pests or
disease; cut these plants back
in the autumn and remove the
debris from the garden.