​General rules of pruning



The first rule always pay attention to pruning, a wrong pruning can ruin the plant.

For trees the rule is to cut only complete branches and better on a bifurcation and close to the trunk in order to avoid missing parts.

First we remove the broken or dry branches, then as a rule remove the branches inside for many plants (Lemon and fruit plants) and also the branches that cross or parallel. 

Lemons can have a single bloom or multiple blooms and are called 4 seasons. Those who grow lemons with only one flowering usually prune in September / October and in spring, while those who grow lemons  four Seasons  prune in the fall.

For shrubs and in particular roses, containment prunings are made by making a transverse cut and leaving half a centimeter above the last bud and facing outwards. Roses are usually pruned when they are at rest.

There are two types of long or short pruning and it depends on the strength of the plant, a weak plant is pruned more drastically to strengthen it, a strong rose instead pruned less. Ground cover and landscape roses require minimal pruning, English roses can be pruned leaving a maximum of about 40 cm of branch, botanical roses are normally allowed to develop freely by removing only dry or damaged branches.

For hedges, pruning in general is done with a hedge trimmer and with the help of scissors. The pruning of a hedge, as a rule, is done a couple of times a year after the vegetative restart, but the periods vary according to the species: laurel in May; boxwood in early September; lentage after flowering, ie in late March or early April; otherwise it will not bloom the following year.

Some soft-leaved hedges will require several cuts throughout the year to maintain shape. For trees it is advisable after pruning to put the mastic that gives less stress to the plant and makes sure that the insects do not attack where it was cut.

After pruning with the twigs for many species you can make beautiful cuttings.