LET’S REVIEW A perfect and a little-known method which is totally appropriate now in the month of October. I have numerous times explained, and rightly so, how pruning at the wrong time of year can remove next year’s blooms, because many of our common flowering landscape bushes, shrubs, vines and trees produce next year’s bloom this year.
You don’t want to go and prune material now so as not to cut away the flowers destined to bloom in 2026. Please make sure you know your plants.
To prune forsythia, lilac, camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, weigelia, magnolia, tree peonies, evergreen clematis, wisteria, pussywillow and many more plants now is to prune away next year’s dazzling display.
The best rule of thumb is to prune a plant immediately after it blooms for many reasons, a main one being to not prune away next year’s flower buds.
So why not root prune your plants? A root prune is a preferred method of either preparing a plant for transplanting or stimulating and rejuvenating old flower shrubs, vines and especially old orchard-type trees.
Root pruning is done on the Peninsula in October, November and December (the earlier, the better).
Root pruning should be done after the plant has shed its leaves and when the cold weather has returned — well before buds or needles break out next spring.
In the case of plants to be divided or moved, a root prune acts to sever the far outlaying root web from the interior system.
All pruning is stimulating, and soon new root systems will begin to appear.
Old orchard trees, wisteria, climbing roses, even magnolias and camellias, especially when poorly fertilized or unboxed, can be rejuvenated by a root prune.
Again, the secret to all pruning is stimulating. If you prune (sever) a root, many more new root branches will develop that would not have existed before. More young, life-seeking feeder roots will kickstart the plant in many situations.
Fertilize at the time of the root prune with plant-specific nutrients which directly aid in root development, along with nitrogen, like blood meal, water well and mulch over the top (sawdust if it is blueberries).
Next week, we will go over how to root prune and then slice right into plant division, because now is the time.
This week, go out and get organic fertilizers designed for the specific plant in mind. Make sure you have a good trench shovel and a good spade shovel, along with a high-quality file to sharpen your shovels, and a wire brush and vegetable oil.
Curious? See you here next week!
And remember … stay well all!
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Andrew May is a freelance writer and ornamental horticulturist who dreams of having Clallam and Jefferson counties nationally recognized as “Flower Peninsula USA.” Send him questions c/o Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362, or email news@peninsuladailynews.com (subject line: Andrew May).
