Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow

When To Prune

Pruning is one of those jobs that eventually every gardener that grows anything will undertake.

Now that you’re committed to pruning that tree or shrub or hedge, what is the most important consideration do you think?

Do you know the name of the species of plant?

Do you know when it’s about to flower or set fruit?

So when should you prune it?

 

Well, today it’s about when’s the best time to prune.

Let’s find out.

I'm talking with Jason Cornish from www.urbanmeadows.com.au

Jason's tip is to wait until after flowering before commencing pruning as a general rule.

Pruning hedges is different because the flowers are not the feature, but the neatness is.

Depending on what the plant species is, for hedging, pruning occurs 2-3 times a year.

fore example, viburnum hedges.

For vigorous hedges such as Plumbago, you will need to prune 4-5 times per year.

TIP:If you don’t know what shrub or tree that you’ve got, the best advice is to wait until it flowers or sets fruit, and then prune after that.

Jason's General Rule Nr 2 : Jason’s strategy is lightly and often.

If you have any questions for me or for Jason, please write in to [email protected]

When To Prune

Pruning is one of those jobs that eventually every gardener that grows anything will undertake.

Now that you’re committed to pruning that tree or shrub or hedge, what is the most important consideration do you think?

Do you know the name of the species of plant?

Do you know when it’s about to flower or set fruit?

So when should you prune it?

 

Well, today it’s about when’s the best time to prune.

Let’s find out.

I'm talking with Jason Cornish from www.urbanmeadows.com.au

Jason's tip is to wait until after flowering before commencing pruning as a general rule.

Pruning hedges is different because the flowers are not the feature, but the neatness is.

Depending on what the plant species is, for hedging, pruning occurs 2-3 times a year.

fore example, viburnum hedges.

For vigorous hedges such as Plumbago, you will need to prune 4-5 times per year.

TIP:If you don’t know what shrub or tree that you’ve got, the best advice is to wait until it flowers or sets fruit, and then prune after that.

Jason's General Rule Nr 2 : Jason’s strategy is lightly and often.

If you have any questions for me or for Jason, please write in to [email protected]

PRUNING SAWS 

There comes a point in your pruning when secateurs, and loppers just won’t do the job.

Do you strain, grit your teeth and pull faces when cutting large branches in your garden that your garden loppers can’t handle?

Let’s face it, the size of the branch is too big but not big enough to call an arborist, so what do you do?     

Get a pruning saw and here’s why.

Let’s find out. 

I'm talking with Tony Mattson General Manager of www.cutabovetools.com.au

 

There are two main types of pruning saws and both have different purposes for different types of cutting.

Folding saw is typically straight and limited in length of blade-usually up to 200mm

Fix pruning saw is curved and used for branches that are greater in diameter than 200mm.

 The pruning saw blade is made as a metal blank and the teeth are then machined into the metal.

The metal is then hardened so they don't wear and chrome plated so they don't rust.

Chrome plating will wear off eventually, ( faster on cheaper blades,) so it's important to clean the blade after use and oil the blade with light machine oil.

Tony prefers not to use vegetable oil because it leaves a sticky residue.

 

Did you know that pruning saws have less teeth than most woodsaws?

The other difference is that the teeth on pruning saws are larger and sharper, making the job of cutting tree branches easier.

 

Tony’s Rule: the length of the pruning saw blade determines how big a branch you can cut. Half the length of the blade, is the maximum size of branch that you can cut.

Tony also recommends that , if the chrome coating has worn off, oil your blade after you have used and cleaned it.

If you have any questions for me or for Tony, why not write in to [email protected] or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

PRUNING SAWS 

There comes a point in your pruning when secateurs, and loppers just won’t do the job.

Do you strain, grit your teeth and pull faces when cutting large branches in your garden that your garden loppers can’t handle?

Let’s face it, the size of the branch is too big but not big enough to call an arborist, so what do you do?     

Get a pruning saw and here’s why.

Let’s find out. 

I'm talking with Tony Mattson General Manager of www.cutabovetools.com.au

 

There are two main types of pruning saws and both have different purposes for different types of cutting.

Folding saw is typically straight and limited in length of blade-usually up to 200mm

Fix pruning saw is curved and used for branches that are greater in diameter than 200mm.

 The pruning saw blade is made as a metal blank and the teeth are then machined into the metal.

The metal is then hardened so they don't wear and chrome plated so they don't rust.

Chrome plating will wear off eventually, ( faster on cheaper blades,) so it's important to clean the blade after use and oil the blade with light machine oil.

Tony prefers not to use vegetable oil because it leaves a sticky residue.

 

Did you know that pruning saws have less teeth than most woodsaws?

The other difference is that the teeth on pruning saws are larger and sharper, making the job of cutting tree branches easier.

 

Tony’s Rule: the length of the pruning saw blade determines how big a branch you can cut. Half the length of the blade, is the maximum size of branch that you can cut.

Tony also recommends that , if the chrome coating has worn off, oil your blade after you have used and cleaned it.

If you have any questions for me or for Tony, why not write in to [email protected] or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

KEEPING BEES Part 2

Last week part 1 of this two-part series about bee-keeping went to air, so I’ll revise a little of that in the interview.

If you are considering keeping bees, don’t just get a bee hive and hope for the best.

Don’t be like some people that have put Flow Hives in the backyard and not put any bees in and wondered why they don't get any honey.

Would you be game enough to collect a wild swarm of bees?

 

Or others that have put just one queen bee in a Flow Hive [without a colony]."

Be informed and do the right thing.

Let’s find out about things you need to know about keeping bees in part 2 of this 2 part segment.

I'm talking with John Scot from www.eezybeez.com.au

Tip: using a smoker calms the bees quite a bit because it gives the bees a cue that something is going to happen.

You will also need to replace you queen bee after 3-4 years because she will have become less productive and your beehive colony will go into decline in as little as 6 - 8 months.

That is because the queen bee is unable to lay sufficient worker bee eggs.

Buying a queen bee can be done online and the best time to buy in Australia is from October until the end of autumn.

For a current list of queen bee producers refer to the Australasian Beekeeper (www.theabk.com.au), or the Australian Honey Bee News.

 

photo Ulrike Leone from Pixabay

Just remember, one of the most important things you need to do if you want to keep bees is to register with your state’s DPI.

If there's an outbreak of disease in the bee population that could threaten Australia's crops and environment, the department needs to keep beekeepers informed.

Registration allows the DPI to identify owners of beehives and know where the hives are located and communicate with them if there's ever an outbreak of disease outside of Australia,

If you have any questions for me or for John, why not write in to [email protected] or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

KEEPING BEES Part 2

Last week part 1 of this two-part series about bee-keeping went to air, so I’ll revise a little of that in the interview.

If you are considering keeping bees, don’t just get a bee hive and hope for the best.

Don’t be like some people that have put Flow Hives in the backyard and not put any bees in and wondered why they don't get any honey.

Would you be game enough to collect a wild swarm of bees?

 

Or others that have put just one queen bee in a Flow Hive [without a colony]."

Be informed and do the right thing.

Let’s find out about things you need to know about keeping bees in part 2 of this 2 part segment.

I'm talking with John Scot from www.eezybeez.com.au

Tip: using a smoker calms the bees quite a bit because it gives the bees a cue that something is going to happen.

You will also need to replace you queen bee after 3-4 years because she will have become less productive and your beehive colony will go into decline in as little as 6 - 8 months.

That is because the queen bee is unable to lay sufficient worker bee eggs.

Buying a queen bee can be done online and the best time to buy in Australia is from October until the end of autumn.

For a current list of queen bee producers refer to the Australasian Beekeeper (www.theabk.com.au), or the Australian Honey Bee News.

 

photo Ulrike Leone from Pixabay

Just remember, one of the most important things you need to do if you want to keep bees is to register with your state’s DPI.

If there's an outbreak of disease in the bee population that could threaten Australia's crops and environment, the department needs to keep beekeepers informed.

Registration allows the DPI to identify owners of beehives and know where the hives are located and communicate with them if there's ever an outbreak of disease outside of Australia,

If you have any questions for me or for John, why not write in to [email protected] or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Rock Isotoma: Isotoma axillaris

Family: Lobeliaceae

Fancy a shrubby ground cover plant with purple starry flowers that’s a real standout?

Of course, we all want those in our garden because they fit into any bare spot.

Let’s find out why we should grow it.

Isotoma axillaris

I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, horticulturist and native plant expert.

Rock isotoma is a flowering perennial that grow up to 40cm high x 40cm wide.

Upright stems are often a purplish colour and covered with short, soft hairs quickly becoming smooth.

The leaves are about 1.5–15 cm long and 0.5–5 mm wide with deep, toothed, linear lobes sharply pointed at the apex.

Rock Isotoma grows naturally in sandstone rock crevices in bushland, but don’t let that stop you from growing it in your garden.

Treat it as a biennial plant, but as it self seeds that’s not really a problem.

You may see if for sale in your local nursery Isotoma ‘Blue Star’

It’s a terrific plant with multibranched stems, that grows into a great mound of lilac-coloured, star-like flowers

If you have any questions either for me or Adrian, why not write in to [email protected]

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Rock Isotoma: Isotoma axillaris

Family: Lobeliaceae

Fancy a shrubby ground cover plant with purple starry flowers that’s a real standout?

Of course, we all want those in our garden because they fit into any bare spot.

Let’s find out why we should grow it.

Isotoma axillaris

I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, horticulturist and native plant expert.

Rock isotoma is a flowering perennial that grow up to 40cm high x 40cm wide.

Upright stems are often a purplish colour and covered with short, soft hairs quickly becoming smooth.

The leaves are about 1.5–15 cm long and 0.5–5 mm wide with deep, toothed, linear lobes sharply pointed at the apex.

Rock Isotoma grows naturally in sandstone rock crevices in bushland, but don’t let that stop you from growing it in your garden.

Treat it as a biennial plant, but as it self seeds that’s not really a problem.

You may see if for sale in your local nursery Isotoma ‘Blue Star’

It’s a terrific plant with multibranched stems, that grows into a great mound of lilac-coloured, star-like flowers

If you have any questions either for me or Adrian, why not write in to [email protected]

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Series: Pruning 101

Pruning is one of those jobs that eventually every gardener that grows anything will undertake.

Except of course if you’ve only got a lawn and nothing else, but those gardeners are probably not listening to the radio show or reading this blog.

 

So over the next 4 weeks, Jason and I will be talking about various pruning jobs and methods.

Today it’s an introduction into what pruning is and different levels of pruning.

Let’s find out.

I'm talking with Jason Cornish from www.urbanmeadows.com.au

There's several types of pruning.

Tip pruning: removing just the tip of the branches or stems to encourage bushy growth. Using your thumb and middle finger, it's easy to nip out the top couple of leaves at a point just above the next set of leaves lower down. This will stimulate two pairs of leaves to grow from that point.

Light pruning: to remove just the outer leaves without cutting into the semi hardwood or hardwood.

Medium pruning: not a hard prune, but somewhere between  a light prune and removing 30% of growth.

Hard prune: chopping the shrub or tree almost to the ground. A risky undertaking and may result in death of the plant. Some plants such as callistemons and lilly pillies will reshoot from being pruned in this way.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Series: Pruning 101

Pruning is one of those jobs that eventually every gardener that grows anything will undertake.

Except of course if you’ve only got a lawn and nothing else, but those gardeners are probably not listening to the radio show or reading this blog.

 

So over the next 4 weeks, Jason and I will be talking about various pruning jobs and methods.

Today it’s an introduction into what pruning is and different levels of pruning.

Let’s find out.

I'm talking with Jason Cornish from www.urbanmeadows.com.au

There's several types of pruning.

Tip pruning: removing just the tip of the branches or stems to encourage bushy growth. Using your thumb and middle finger, it's easy to nip out the top couple of leaves at a point just above the next set of leaves lower down. This will stimulate two pairs of leaves to grow from that point.

Light pruning: to remove just the outer leaves without cutting into the semi hardwood or hardwood.

Medium pruning: not a hard prune, but somewhere between  a light prune and removing 30% of growth.

Hard prune: chopping the shrub or tree almost to the ground. A risky undertaking and may result in death of the plant. Some plants such as callistemons and lilly pillies will reshoot from being pruned in this way.