7 Plants You Should NEVER Prune In Early Spring
The countdown to spring is on! The sun is starting to shine brighter, flowers have begun to bloom, it’s starting to get warmer and the days are getting longer. This means it will soon be time to get your gardening gear ready and go wild in the garden. While you may be eager to start with spring pruning, some simply shouldn’t be touched yet. Yes, some trees, shrubs, and flowers may handle a little trim this time of the year – others simply cannot. Some plants flower on old stock. This means that if you prune them now they won’t have anything to bloom from. Pruning them now can cause damage and slow down their growth or cost them their buds entirely. Yikes! Not only that but it can also leave some plants vulnerable to diseases and infestations, which you definitely don’t want. So, let’s see which plants you should never prune in early spring.
While you may be eager to start with spring pruning, some simply shouldn’t be touched yet
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Plants You Should Never Prune In Early Spring
You don’t want to cost your plant’s buds, especially those that bloom in early spring. For those plants, you only need to remove damaged or dead wood and not go anywhere near anything with buds on it. While you may be excited to start gardening, waiting until later to prune can save your plants. After all, nobody wants to ruin their plants, but it happens if you don’t know you shouldn’t prune them. That’s why we’ve made the list of plants that definitely shouldn’t be touched this time of the year.
You don’t want to cost your plant’s buds, especially those that bloom in early spring
#Forsythia
During spring time you will start spotting forsythia blooming everywhere. It’s beautiful yellow flowers bringing color and joy to everyone’s life. This plant usually blooms in late Februray, March, and April. So, pruning them during any of those times is a big no-no. It’s best to wait until all of this plant’s blooms are gone to start trimming it back. Then, you can also shape the plant into the shape or way you want it to grow. Keep in mind that pruning after it’s finished blooming is the perfect time, and you shouldn’t wait too much as if you prune them late summer or early fall, it may cause them to bloom fewer flowers the following year.
During spring time you will start spotting forsythia blooming everywhere
#Azalea
The beautiful azalea bush has breathtaking blooms in the spring. That’s why it shouldn’t be pruned at all in early spring. Keep a close eye on your azalea. The perfect pruning time for this plant is when its flowers begin to fade away and before any new buds have started to form. This way you can prune without removing any flower buds, that will appear later on, and you can keep your beautiful bush at maximum health. Pruning time usually falls around late spring or early summer, it depends on your plant’s growth.
The beautiful azalea bush has breathtaking blooms in the spring
#Lilac
These early bloomers fill the spring air with a delightful smell and please the beholder’s eye with their purple beauty. However, when it comes to pruning, touching these plants in spring is very risky as you will most likely cut off buds. This will, of course, result in fewer flowers. You should only prune these flowers after they have finished blooming in late spring or early summer. Also, make sure to prune them at the base of the wooden stem. Lilacs are adaptable plants, so they will be fine if you cut off some blooms for your own enjoyment for a bouquet, but make sure to not go overboard. Also, make sure to not wait too long to prune them after they have bloomed, as next year’s buds start to form right after this year’s have gone.
When it comes to pruning, touching these plants in spring is very risky
#Magnolia
Oh, magnolia shrubs are a real beauty. They sure do know how to brighten up the world with their beautiful blooms. However, they can be a bit of a pain when it comes to pruning. Magnolia shrubs are two kinds – evergreen and deciduous. Both types should only get minimal pruning. And once the magnolia has reached a certain age, it shouldn’t be touched at all. It is very easy to over-prune magnolias, so you need to be very careful. This plant shouldn’t be touched in the spring. If your magnolia does need pruning, do it lightly and in the summer or fall.
Magnolia shrubs are two kinds – evergreen and deciduous
#Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle likes to get extra bushy in springtime. And while it may make sense to trim them down a little, it’s best to refrain. There are a couple of different honeysuckle varieties and pruning does depend quite a lot on what variety you have. Some plants bloom in early spring, while others later on in summer. There are also honeysuckle varieties that bloom twice – in spring and summer. If you have a variety that blooms in spring, then you shouldn’t touch them at all until they have finished blooming. Then you can lightly prune them in late spring or summer.
There are a couple of different honeysuckle varieties and pruning does depend what variety
#Rhododendron
This plant flowers on old wood and bloom usually a bit later into spring, around May. This means, that if you prune them now, you will not be getting any beautiful flowers later on. Rhododendrons don’t need heavy pruning in general. And it’s best to wait until after they have finished blooming around mid-summer to reshape or prune them. While the hardened, dead, or diseased branches can be pruned all-year round, don’t touch anything else before mid-summer. And even then, don’t cut too much off at the same time.
This plant flowers on old wood and bloom usually a bit later into spring, around May
#Birch Trees
If you have birch trees at home, it’s important you don’t prune them now. Pruning this plant early in spring will cause it to get very sappy. It will start weeping sticky sap everywhere, which you can really go without. Trees, like birch, maple, and walnut, should be pruned mid-summer and not early, as they produce a lot of sap. Plus, pruning them now and making them weep, won’t allow them to produce enough sap for themselves and move into full health for the summer. If you want your trees to stay healthy, bountiful, and beautiful, skip pruning them this spring.
Pruning this plant early in spring will cause birch trees to get very sappy
These were some plants you should never prune in early spring, according to seasoned gardeners. We hope you found this article useful. Now you know to skip out on these plants when pruning, so you can enjoy them in their full glory.
These were some plants you should never prune in early spring, according to seasoned gardeners
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