by Charles Guthals PRUNING
There is no doubt about what time of year is here: it's Winter, and it's c-c-c-o-l-d ! The cold weather that we are experiencing has definitely put all of our plant life into a dormant cycle, and while it is not pleasant to be outside most of the day, there are still a few winter tasks that can be accomplished now.
We've had numerous calls about winter trimming of roses and fruit trees as well as trimming of shade and ornamental trees. Since our plant life in the area is completely dormant, now is an excellent time to prune.
When trimming bush roses, you may cut them back to 18" inches tall. Completely remove any dead branches and remove any branch that crosses another branch so that only one remains. Climbing roses generally should be left four to five feet tall, since they will bloom on older wood rather than on new growth.
Following the trimming process, spray the plants with dormant oil and lime-sulfur for the control of overwintering insects and spores of powdery mildew and black spot. Spraying with these two compounds will not mean an insect- or disease-free summer. Both compounds are used as a clean-up spray only, but will give you at least an even start in the spring.
Pruning of fruit trees should also be done now. Again, remove any dead or broken branch or any branch that grows across another branch. As with roses, following your trimming of the trees, spray with dormant oil and lime-sulfur for insect and disease control. Additionally, seal the pruning wound of any branch larger than 1 inch that has been removed.
Charles Guthals is a master gardener and co-owner of Guthal's Nursery of Clovis, New Mexico.
Didn't find what you were looking for? Click Here to visit the ARCHIVES or
editor@nmjournal.com
Copyright ©2000, 2001 WordPros Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this site may be duplicated in any form without the express written consent of WordPros Publications, Inc. This includes all text, formatting, graphics, photographs, scripts and coding, etc. All brand names, logos, and product names used on these web pages are trademarks or tradenames of their respective holders. Terms of Use.
