THE GARDEN PRUNING

Southland Times, Issue 25704, 13 July 1943, Page 6

THE GARDEN

PRUNING

By

RIWHI

To many gardeners the art of pruning remains always a mystery. They never seem to get past the stage where pi-un-ing is merely a trimming back process similar to that of hedge cutting, but not quit so formal. Pruning will always remain the same to them until they discover the exact purpose of it all—something more important than keeping a plant within certain bounds. The most important aim will be the production of flowers either for their beauty or for the later production of fruit. In order to attain this end the gardener must be able to identify fruit buds and he must also have some knowledge of the flowering habits of the plants; otherwise he may prune all the flowering growths away. The flowers may be borne on new growth which will break away in the spring, on last season’s ripened wood or on the older more mature growth of the tree. Only close observation on the part of the pruner will give the desired results. It is most difficult to supply a set of rules, as every tree or shrub has its own individuality according to site and vigour.

Another important aim in pruning is the maintenance of health. If the growth on any tree is allowed to crowd together it will certainly weaken and fall a prey to disease of one kind or another. All such diseased wood should be cut away if it is not possible to restore it to full vigour again by an efficient spraying programme. Where pruning is attended to annually, vigour and health can be maintained over long periods of time. PRUNING OF CURRANTS Nearly every garden in Southland has its plot of small fruits, even though it may not aspire to the growing of pomme and stone fruits. All small fruits respond wonderfully to careful pruning, yet they are very generally neglected. Once again the great need is for carefully observing their habits of fruiting. Black currants, for instance, fruit on mature growth of the past season. For this reason as much as possible of the vigorous young growth should be retained. Unripened tips should be removed, also any wood affected by borer. Crowded stems should be thinne dout, and where bushes are well furnished several of the oldest growths should be cut out at the base each year. This will lead to the tion of strong sucker growths which in | their turn will produce good quality | crops of berries. Red and white currants bear on spur growths found on the older wood. They should therefore be pruned much as though they were miniature apple trees, and they should be grown like trees on one stem. The framework of each bush should be carefully built up, young leaders being cut back by twothirds of their length. The -bushes must be kept open and short lateral growths should be retained. Gooseberries are intermediate in type, some of the fruit being borne on young growth and some on- the older growth. It is best to grow this fruit as a semi-standard, to reduce its vigour which is very often too great for the production of good crops while plants are young. With raspberries and loganberries all old growth should be removed as the ' fruit is borne on last season’s growth ; which also should be shortened back • where tips are immature.