How to prune gardenia bush is a way that has to be done correctly and this is a skill that can be easily learned.
Plant care is a must for gardenia shrubs of the Rubiaceae family, and we’ll tackle the pruning aspect for this article. Now let’s start learning the valuable art of pruning gardenias.
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How To Prune a Gardenia Bush the Right Way
Pruning not only keeps your gardenia plants clean and neat, but it also encourages more leaves to grow. To get your precious plants growing and flowering, here are the steps on how to prune your gardenia plant properly.
1. Choosing the Right Time
When you begin the process of pruning, you would be asking yourself, “Can you prune gardenias in the fall,” or even “Can you prune gardenias in winter,” The answer depends mostly on where you live.
In general, gardenia jasminoides plants should be preferably pruned in late winter or early spring. This is the point before new growth from the plant starts to emerge, and this is the right season for the plants to thrive after the cut, because the weather would be significant for this process.
Homeowners can opt to cut their gardenias back during fall; however, the plant should no longer be producing leaves or flowers at this time. Otherwise, pruning too early may lead to damaged gardenia bushes that may cause their untimely death.
On the other hand, during the winter season, the gardenia becomes dormant, because while the plant is not actively growing, this is the best time to prune it. Pruning your gardenia at springtime helps to promote new growth; additionally, pruning in this period encourages the plant to produce more flowering during the warmer growing seasons.
2. Collect the Necessary Tools
You’ll need a few tools to prune your bush plant, as this will make the whole process easier, quicker, and cleaner because you are organized. You will need a pair of sharp pruning shears, a couple of loppers for larger branches, and gardening gloves.
You may also opt for face masks, eye goggles, and clothing to avoid getting cut or burned by the sun. If your gardenia has grown tall, you may bring some ladders to help trim taller bushes.
Pruning shears are used for small branches, while loppers are designed to cut thicker pieces. It is also important to use sharp pruning shears and loppers as dull tools can damage the plant. Worn blades also make pruning harder to perform because they will cut the twigs in a harmful way, it will also cause you to be frustrated as well.
Wearing gloves protects your hands from scrapes and cuts and from getting blisters. Face masks are significant if you are sensitive to pollen, dust, or dirt. Eye goggles will protect your eyes from flying debris during your pruning activity, together with this protective clothing is essential in shielding you from the harsh sun. Additionally, clothing can also keep you from getting cuts and scrapes.
3. Identify the Branches to Be Pruned
Once your tools are ready, identify the branches that must be pruned from your beautiful plant. Look for dead, diseased, or damaged parts and branches. Branches that rub together or grow in the wrong direction are also ideal candidates for pruning.
4. Cut the Dead, Diseased, or Damaged Branches
Using your pruning shears, cut the branches you identified as pruned. With each cut, make it at a 45-degree angle. This angle is critical because it helps the plant heal faster and prevents water from accumulating on the cut area, so make sure you would make the cut accordingly.
How far can you cut back gardenias may also be a question to ask, but ensure to cut it back to the healthy wood when cutting each branch. Healthy wood is evident by the fresh green growth inside the cut part. After each cut, clean your pruning shears with a cleaning cloth soaked in sterilizing solution; in short after you wipe it, your tool will be cleaned out of any bacteria.
You can use a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water or rubbing alcohol, and try cleaning and sterilizing your tools are essential. When you sterilize, it will ensure that diseases will not spread from one part of the plant to another.
5. Remove Any Crossing Branches
After removing dead, diseased, and damaged branches, you’ll need to cut back branches that are crossing over each other or growing in the wrong direction, which is why you must go ahead and identify the longest branches.
Now, you can cut them back to a height that will give your gardenia bush an excellent shape and size. Ensure that each cut is also at a 45-degree angle. Do the same thing for branches that are growing in the wrong direction.
When you are in this stage, you may start to wonder, Can you cut back gardenias hard; however, remember that it is vital that you do not cut back too much at once, because these plants are ones that are sensitive to pruning. Cutting back can cause too much stress and prevent the plant from producing flowers.
Instead of cutting drastically, cut back a little at a time until you achieve the desired shape and size. At the same time, doing so will allow you to retain its basic form and keep its overall structure and balance.
6. Thin Out Any Crowded Areas
Thin out some branches to further prune gardenia plants correctly to promote better light penetration and air circulation. Start by cutting back the oldest or longest branches because these ones would have weaker structure and health. On the contrary, leave the younger, more vigorous branches intact as much as possible.
7. Shape the Plant
Now that you have a rough shape for your gardenia plants, you can refine this shape even further. To do this, trim back the remaining branches that are too long or growing in the wrong direction. After each cut, take a step back and assess your work. This will give you a better perspective of your desired shape and size for your gardenia.
Once everything is done, it’s time to clean up any debris that is lying around; doing so will prevent the spread of pests and diseases. Check your tools if they need sharpening, and sharpen the ones that have gotten dull from pruning. After this, clean and sterilize your tools.
Conclusion
Growing gardenias is easier now that you know how to prune them correctly; here’s a quick overview of what we’ve learned so far:
- Use the right time and the right tools to prune gardenia plants.
- Identify dead, diseased, and damaged parts, such as those with yellow leaves or foliage turning brown.
- After every pruning, clean and sterilize your tools as part of a proper plant hygiene practice.
Did this article answer your gardenia care concerns? Now, not only will you get gardenias with healthy foliage, which is why you’ll also enjoy their heady fragrance.
