This past weekend we spent quite a bit of time pruning. We live on an oversized lot (but not acreage) and have 4 fruit trees and 18 roses that all need pruning this time of year. But I am so excited because this year Evan learned how to prune roses! He is very detail oriented and careful and has a good eye for the shape of the rose. He is also motivated to earn some extra money! We'll have to finish up this weekend since we didn't get it all done, and our green waste bucket was all filled up anyways.
Here are some pictures to show how I taught Evan. This way he can read them next year for a refresher course!
The first step is to remove all the leaves that didn't fall off on their own. (Picture on the left.) Then you need to cut away dead wood. The picture on the right shows a dead cane coming out of the center of the rose. You can tell it's dead by the color (black) and the sharp contrast of healthy wood to dead.
The next step is to cut back the plant. This is where the art and science of pruning come together. The pink growth bud pictured right below the clippers is where the next shoot will grow. The plant will send up the growth hormone strongest to the top. (That's the science.) The direction of the buds tells you the direction of the next branch. You want to have a bush that opens up like a vase with branches generally facing out. This gives space for air to circulate which cuts down on disease. This is where the art comes into play...where to make the cut. The good news is roses are very forgiving. You really can't kill it by bad pruning. My mom has always joked that you could take a chain saw to it and it would live; it just wouldn't be pretty.
10 comments:
I need to go out and do mine today. Thanks for the lesson. I was feeling nervous.
Christina,
Do you have any recommendations on things I can put in my garden pretty easily that will give me some flowers to cute and enjoy in the spring/summer but won't be too much work. I am so exhausted now and can't devote as much time to my garden but I really want flowers to cut and enjoy come spring and summer. That always improves my mood. So I am trying to think of some little things I can do that won't require too much effort...since I am busy growing a baby this year. HEE HEE. I was hoping to get to my backyard and plant but I don't think that is going to happen...it needs way too much attention. My front yard has a mix of sun and shade. I do have one section that I think has that Oak root fungus...so my roses are dying there and my geraniums are too. (which by the way I think I got from mulch...do you or your mom have any recommendations on certain mulch or keeping weeds down in other ways) I try to be as natural as possible. I am so scared of mulch now after that happened. One of my friend said to just cram as many plants as possible in so there is no ground showing to grow weeds. HA HA. Someday maybe. So I would love any gardening tips you have. I am still a beginner but really do enjoy being out there when I have the energy...and I LOVE the rewards of a garden. Thanks
PS I did send Aaron for Dahlia bulbs (those did so well last year I want more) and poppy seeds and flax seeds. But would love any other ideas you have.
I love that your son can prune roses! I can't think of too many grown men who have that skill :)I appreciate your detailed steps for Evan because I can also be a beneficiary. Thanks!
Bethany, here's a site that my mom sent to me today.
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00225.asp
This is a list of 25 robust summer bloomers. Fine Gardening is an excellent magazine and one I would highly recommend if you're looking for a way to learn more about gardening. I've gotten it a couple of years and always saved each one, they're that good.
Not all of the flowers on that list are good for cutting, like hollyhock and butterfly bush. However, they are really easy and produce lovely flowers for the garden.
For cutting, I was thinking of Sunflowers, Cosmos, Pincusion Flower (also called Scabiosa), Echinacea (aka purple cone flower), Zinnia, larkspur, sweet peas, and cornflower. These can be grown easily from seed.
From a six-pack you can grow easily snapdragons, lisianthus (one of my favorite flowers and it comes in blue), stock, daisies, and alsromeria.
Lavender and Hydranga bushes are wonderful for cut flowers too.
There are others, but these are ones that I have been able to grow EASILY.
Do you have a Sunset Western Garden Book? It has a whole page devoted to what flowers to grow for cutting. If you're not familiar with it, all the areas in the Western U.S. are divided into zones and detailed descriptions are given for every plant imaginable according to zone. I think you live in zone 20 or 21.
As for weeds, your friend is right. Weeds will go away if you plant heavily, however that is very expensive! We did it one year and it was gorgeous. You could also pay your kids .50c per bucket to pull weeds. =)
Thank you for asking about this. I'm totally inspired now to plant lots of flowers!
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00225.asp
Sorry the link didn't come through last time.
I'll try again with the link.
If you still don't see it, let me know.
http://www.taunton.com/
finegardening/pages/g00225.asp
Oh thank you Christina,
I am going to go check out that site.
I tried purple cornflower last year from seed and didn't even get one...should I try small plants this year for that...or maybe a different spot.
I love cosmos and didn't get them in the ground in time last year but I for sure want to do that.
Thanks for the recommendations on other pretty flowering bushes too. I am making a list to take to the store with me from your post.
I do have the Sunset (bible) but it is an old one I got at a garage sale...it is missing some of the cool sections in the newer one so I think I am going to suck it up and buy the new one from Amazon.
Thanks for the magazine recommendation too. I am going to go check that out.
Feel free to post on gardening any time you like. HINT HINT. HEE HEE. ;)
Okay the Hollyhock on the gardening site is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to have to check that one out.
Aaron is out of town this week so I am going to try to do this. I got some of the seeds you mentioned. I am heading out tomorrow to look for some of the flats and plants you mentioned. Hopefully we won't have any more frosts. Thanks for your help. I might get the magazine with some of my birthday money.
Aaron is out of town this week so I am going to try to do this. I got some of the seeds you mentioned. I am heading out tomorrow to look for some of the flats and plants you mentioned. Hopefully we won't have any more frosts. Thanks for your help. I might get the magazine with some of my birthday money.
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