It will soon be time for dormant pruning of your trees and shrubs. Pearl Harbor Day (Dec. 7), which reminds us first of when our gallant sailors and soldiers were attacked in Hawaii, is also a good reminder of the start of rose-pruning season.
This day might be early for some, but noted local rose grower Joe Ghio has for years started his pruning on that date. He cultivates a lot of roses, so pruning is not a one-day event, as it might be for your collection. Still, this date is a good reminder that its at least time to start thinking about this annual task.
I have written about pruning roses before, and do not want to repeat the guidelines for gardeners who are already experienced pruners. Instead of detailing the process, I will offer some broad suggestions.
First, if you are unsure of your pruning skills, visit the website of the American Rose Society, www.rose.org, for a refresher. There you will find eight articles by experts on the subject. You will also see numerous articles on all aspects of the cultivation of roses.
Second, let your roses teach you how to prune. After you have absorbed some basic ideas from the society website, a book or some other source, make mental or written notes of how you prune your roses, then monitor their responses over the next growing season. You might even tie ribbons on selected branches to remind yourself of what you did, and to help observe the plants growth.
Third, if you learn best from demonstrations, plan to attend one of the Monterey Bay Rose Societys free rose pruning classes in January. The societys 2017 schedule includes classes at the Alladin Nursery (Watsonville), San Lorenzo Garden Center (Santa Cruz), and the Societys Display Rose Garden in the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds (Watsonville). In addition, Ghio might present his popular Anyone Can Prune a Rose workshop during the societys January meeting in Aptos. For information on times, dates and locations, visit the societys website, www.montereybayrosesociety.org/schedule.html
McShanes Nursery (Salinas) also provides free workshops on rose and fruit-tree pruning. Visit the Nurserys website mcshanesnursery.com for more information.
Fruit tree pruning also can be challenging for backyard gardeners. The dormant pruning season for fruit trees begins when leaves fall and before buds swell, roughly January through March. I recently attended a workshop on pruning fruit trees conducted by a longtime friend, Peter Quintanilla, who is a UC Master Gardener, an International Society of Arboriculture certified arborist, and a teacher of arboriculture and landscape pruning at Cabrillo College. Peter spoke at a recent meeting of the Monterey Bay Iris Society (members of the MBIS are interested in more than irises!).
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I will write more on this subject as we near the pruning season, but now is a good time for gardeners to get up to speed on this subject. Find good information in your local public library or bookshop or on the internet. Look for both articles and even YouTube demonstrations.
Seasonal pruning of roses and fruit trees will optimize their appearance, health and productivity. This task, when done in a capable and timely manner, also can be a satisfying exercise for the gardener. If you are unsure of your pruning knowledge, make a New Years resolution to master at least the basic techniques. And be sure to let nature teach you about pruning.
Tom Karwin is past president of the Friends of the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, president of the Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society, and a Lifetime UC Master Gardener (Certified 19992009). Visit ongardening.com for links to information on this subject, and send comments or questions to [email protected].
This day might be early for some, but noted local rose grower Joe Ghio has for years started his pruning on that date. He cultivates a lot of roses, so pruning is not a one-day event, as it might be for your collection. Still, this date is a good reminder that its at least time to start thinking about this annual task.
I have written about pruning roses before, and do not want to repeat the guidelines for gardeners who are already experienced pruners. Instead of detailing the process, I will offer some broad suggestions.
First, if you are unsure of your pruning skills, visit the website of the American Rose Society, www.rose.org, for a refresher. There you will find eight articles by experts on the subject. You will also see numerous articles on all aspects of the cultivation of roses.
Second, let your roses teach you how to prune. After you have absorbed some basic ideas from the society website, a book or some other source, make mental or written notes of how you prune your roses, then monitor their responses over the next growing season. You might even tie ribbons on selected branches to remind yourself of what you did, and to help observe the plants growth.
Third, if you learn best from demonstrations, plan to attend one of the Monterey Bay Rose Societys free rose pruning classes in January. The societys 2017 schedule includes classes at the Alladin Nursery (Watsonville), San Lorenzo Garden Center (Santa Cruz), and the Societys Display Rose Garden in the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds (Watsonville). In addition, Ghio might present his popular Anyone Can Prune a Rose workshop during the societys January meeting in Aptos. For information on times, dates and locations, visit the societys website, www.montereybayrosesociety.org/schedule.html
McShanes Nursery (Salinas) also provides free workshops on rose and fruit-tree pruning. Visit the Nurserys website mcshanesnursery.com for more information.
Fruit tree pruning also can be challenging for backyard gardeners. The dormant pruning season for fruit trees begins when leaves fall and before buds swell, roughly January through March. I recently attended a workshop on pruning fruit trees conducted by a longtime friend, Peter Quintanilla, who is a UC Master Gardener, an International Society of Arboriculture certified arborist, and a teacher of arboriculture and landscape pruning at Cabrillo College. Peter spoke at a recent meeting of the Monterey Bay Iris Society (members of the MBIS are interested in more than irises!).
Advertisement
I will write more on this subject as we near the pruning season, but now is a good time for gardeners to get up to speed on this subject. Find good information in your local public library or bookshop or on the internet. Look for both articles and even YouTube demonstrations.
Seasonal pruning of roses and fruit trees will optimize their appearance, health and productivity. This task, when done in a capable and timely manner, also can be a satisfying exercise for the gardener. If you are unsure of your pruning knowledge, make a New Years resolution to master at least the basic techniques. And be sure to let nature teach you about pruning.
Tom Karwin is past president of the Friends of the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, president of the Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society, and a Lifetime UC Master Gardener (Certified 19992009). Visit ongardening.com for links to information on this subject, and send comments or questions to [email protected].