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Pruning: Evergreens

EVERGREENS. Evergreens need but little pruning. The pruning of evergreens is done to secure formal shapes, to thicken growth, or to preserve symmetry. Tips of branches should be sheared in the spring just before they start growing. Begin pruning a year after planting and continue each succeeding year. Evergreens dry out more rapidly than deciduous growth and as they make much growth in the early spring, wounds from spring cutting heal rapidly. April is a good month for this work in the northern states. Pinching back of buds at any time in order to thicken the growth is all the pruning that most evergreens require. Shearing for formal shapes must be done carefully and a portion of the past season's growth allowed to remain on the plants. Many evergreens such as the plumeshaped cypress, Lawson's cypress, and the arborvitæ will respond to severe pruning operations. These plants grow vigorously under ideal conditions and during the growing season it is not infrequent that they require pruning two or three times. Rarely are evergreens pruned for the purpose of removing branches which are crowding, and only under very abnormal conditions is it necessary to prune evergreens in order to remove dead or diseased branches.

RHODODENDRONS. The pruning of rhododendrons, as a rule, is unsatisfactory, particularly if the wood is old. If the plant is very thrifty, and in a damp, sheltered position, fair success may be had. Not more than one-half of a plant should be pruned in any one year and the other part in the succeeding year. It should be done early PRUNING in the spring and the bark of the stumps well moistened at least twice daily to assist the development and breaking through of the dormant leaf buds. Cuts should be made just above a whorl of leaves because adventitious buds will appear there more promptly than elsewhere. If the plants are not thrifty it might be advisable to cut half of the stalks to the ground, using care not to decrease, more than is necessary, the beauty of the plants. New shoots will be developed from the ground, and when these reach a satisfactory height, repeat the process with the remaining stalks. The root system will also be benefited by such treatment.

Pruning is seldom resorted to with rhododendrons in order to produce increased size and quantity of flowers. As an added precaution for the successful development of rhododendrons all the seed pods should be removed from the finer and less vigorous growing plants immediately after the flowering period is complete and before any of the plant energy has been expended in the development and ripening of the seed pods, thus diverting this energy into the production of new flower buds instead of into the production of useless seed pods. VINES. Vines are pruned only to remove dead wood and straggling growth. Prune vines after blooming, except vines with ornamental fruit; the latter should be cut back severely in the spring, because they fruit on the new wood.

ROSES. Prune hybrid perpetual and most other hardy roses in April when sap begins to flow and buds start to swell. At this time dead wood may be most easily distinguished and mulch should not be disturbed earlier. Memorial roses and rambler roses should be pruned just after the flowering season to produce wood for the next year's bloom.

Other things being equal, the pruning determines the quantity and size of flowers. Severe pruning will produce the largest and best flowers; less severe pruning is productive of a large crop of average flowers; medium pruning produces a large crop of smaller blooms (Plate V, Page 24).

For severe pruning, thin out to the base all but three to five shoots, with two to three buds on each shoot. Less severe pruning requires the same number of shoots to be cut back to from five to ten buds. For medium pruning, leave four to seven shoots and cut each back to one-half of its height. Always cut the stem one-fourth to one-half inch immediately above a strong bud that points out from the centre of the plant. When a plant has been pruned the shoots should be left as nearly as possible equi-distant from each other and arranged around the plant, so that it presents a well-balanced appearance on all sides with an uncrowded centre. With some hybrid perpetuals and climbers, if considerable length of stem is cut with the flowers, the plants can be induced to make some autumn bloom. Seeds should never be permitted to ripen on rose bushes, as the effect of this is extremely weakening to the plant.

When pruning hybrid perpetual roses remove branches that cross, and all weak wood also. Cut back strong canes to six buds, the top bud pointing outward. For a big outdoor display leave two-thirds of the length of four to seven canes. Sometimes it is feasible to cut away part of the tops in autumn so that the fibrous roots will not be loosened or broken by the force of winter winds swaying the plants. Hybrid teas and teas must be cut to the surface of the soil, if necessary, in order to cut to live wood. However, as much or more wood should be left as on hybrid perpetuals, if possible. Weak growers should be cut back farther than strong growers.

Rugosas, bourbons, chinas, austrian briers, ramblers, and wichuraianas need but little pruning. Thin out and cut back only a few inches of the stems. Remove wood to the base of the plant as it becomes old. Climbing and pillar roses need only one-third to one-fifth of the wood removed. All old wood should be removed about once in three years. In autumn any unusually long canes should be cut back slightly and tied up.

When rose blooms are cut from the plant the finest and largest blooms follow if only one bud is left to the branch.