Pruning the oleander

The oleander can be led in hedges, isolated subject or even in tree. In the coolest regions, it will be grown in pots under cover. Whatever its use, adequate pruning will be required to get the best out of this fantastic plant.

General information about pruning the oleander

The oleander is a beautiful, naturally bushy shrub that grows beautifully when cultivated in an optimal way. For this, it needs heat, sun and water. Once these parameters are required, it will be appropriate to prune it, knowing that this type of shrub only flowers on the most recent branches. A too drastic pruning will therefore logically compromise the next flowering.

Pruning should only be done on subjects older than 5 years, and only every other year or even every third year, except in the case of the formation of a shrub on a stem which will require the removal of shoots and lateral branches every year.

The different types of pruning

Depending on its use, the laurel can be pruned in various ways but always respecting the principle that this operation must be carried out with care and at the right time.

Stem pruning

A beautiful oleander pruned into a stem will later become a very ornamental flowering tree. To achieve this, it is necessary to prune all the peripheral branches as well as the lateral branches every year in order to keep only the main stem which will grow to become a powerful trunk. This technique is ideal in the gardens of the South of France where the subject will have all the necessary conditions to develop well.

Pruning the bushy oleander

As we have seen, the laurel tends to grow very freely in the form of a spreading bush. The goal will be both to clear the center of the shrub and to reduce its spread. The best time is after flowering in the warmer regions, or in April everywhere else.

Proceed on a subject at least 5 years old. Using the lopper, prune all dead branches at the base. Remove also in the center of the clump the branches which cross in order to let penetrate the light and the air to the maximum in the plant and thus to avoid the installation of parasites. Then cut the end of the oldest stems on 1/3 just above a pair of leaves.

Try to keep a maximum of branches from the previous year to be assured of a beautiful bloom. It is generally recommended to prune only 1/3 of the existing stems per year. Rotate the pruning in the following years in order to keep the shrub in good shape while ensuring future flowering.

Pruning oleanders in hedges

A common mistake is to prune oleanders drastically each year to obtain a straight hedge. However, all the interest of this type of hedge lies in its wild and flowery side during nearly 6 months. The same advice as for the pruning of the bushy laurel will therefore be applied to the hedges so that they are both full and offer an opulent bloom.

Pruning oleander in a container

The purpose of this pruning is to maintain a compact subject in order to winter it easily indoors. Prune in autumn, just after flowering. Remove the dead branches or those that cross and reduce the plant in width and height, but always keeping if possible the branches of the previous year on which the flowers will be formed.

The size of the lilac

The lilac is a shrub that gives off sublime fragrances in spring. However, its pruning is subject to controversy, with some gardeners insisting that it should be pruned only rarely and very lightly, while others do not hesitate to prune it back. Wouldn't the middle way be the best solution?

When to prune lilac?

The lilac can be pruned in two stages: in spring just after flowering to remove the faded flower clusters, then in autumn or winter for maintenance and cleaning. Note that this type of pruning will not be done on a young subject that is still too sparse. Wait at least 4 years after planting to consider a thinning out or a 'transparent' pruning.

Be careful, the lilac blooms on the previous year's shoots, if you prune too short and without restriction late in the fall or winter, you risk not enjoying its flowers the following spring!

How to prune lilac after flowering?

Use pruning shears whose blades have been disinfected beforehand (methylated spirits, flame...) and sharpened to ensure a clean and straight cut.

Just after flowering, cut back the deflowered stems by cutting just above the first big bud present under the flowering stem. Cut neatly, beveling away from the bud so that rainwater does not run directly onto it but on the other side. The bud will have time to develop and form a flowering stem for the following spring.

How do I do a cleaning pruning on the lilac?

As we have seen above, this pruning should only be considered on an old subject whose structure needs to be aerated.

Take a pruning shears whose blades will have been disinfected and well sharpened beforehand.

• In the fall or winter, cut back ¼ of the oldest stems at the base of the plant. This operation will encourage the birth of new stems while preserving enough branches to obtain a beautiful bloom.
• Take the opportunity to remove all the dead wood and branches that cross in the center of the shrub. The silhouette will thus be aerated and the shrub will be less prone to harboring pests. Better ventilated, the lilac will also be less likely to suffer from diseases.
• Cut off any suckers at their base.

How to prune lilacs back?

Rejuvenation pruning can be considered for very old trees that are not flowering well and have a gangly habit. This pruning is done at the end of winter in March or even a little earlier in the mildest regions, just before budburst.

• Take a pruning shears or a hand saw. Do not forget to sharpen and disinfect the blades beforehand.
• Remove all dead branches at their base and 1/3 of the oldest branches.
• Cut back the other branches to 30 cm from the ground by pruning just above a bulge in the bark (bud) facing outwards.

The size of the rhododendron.

The rhododendron is one of the star plants in the garden. It adorns both English and Japanese-style gardens with its abundant blooms. Pruning this elegant shrub is not very complicated.

When to prune the rhododendron?

The time of pruning depends on the flowering period and therefore on the variety of the rhododendron. Let's not forget that the genus is divided into nearly 900 species for a multitude of varieties. For example, Rhododendron arboretum is a real tree that can reach 12 m in height, while Rhododendron camtschaticum has a creeping, spreading habit that does not exceed 30 cm in height. Between these two extremes, there is a whole range of shrubs more common in gardens.

Generally speaking, training pruning is done in early spring and maintenance pruning just after flowering.

How do I prune a rhododendron?

Training pruning

At the beginning of its life, the rhododendron needs a training pruning which will allow it to expand its silhouette more quickly. With the nails of your thumb and forefinger, pinch off new growth just above a leaf in spring. New stems should appear at this cut. Wait until they reach 5 cm in length before pinching the tips of these shoots again.

Maintenance pruning

On older plants, wait until the shrub has flowered to consider maintenance pruning. Take a small pruning shears whose blades will have been disinfected with methylated spirits to avoid the propagation of diseases from one plant to another.

Then cut each wilted flower just under its stalk. The pruning must be precise in order not to cut the stems carrying at their ends the latent buds which will ensure the blooming of the following year.

Always with the secateurs, cut the dead stems at their bases. Also remove the branches that cross in the center of the shrub, or those that seem damaged or diseased.

Specific case of tree rhododendron

Prune all the low branches in autumn when the young tree is formed to keep only 6 to 8 carpenter branches. Wait two years before pruning all branches less than 2 cm in diameter. Cut the shoots and all the stems present under the framework to form the main trunk.

If it is an old tree that has never been maintained, don't hesitate to cut it back drastically in the fall or winter, except during the frost period. To do this, take a saw or a lopper and cut all the branches at 20 cm above the frame.

Cloud pruning

Cloud pruning requires a lot of patience and several years of work to start getting full clouds.

The tree can be tilted, in different leaning positions to eventually give it an impression of age.

For upright trees, every other side branch is removed, giving the tree a contrasting appearance of dense clumps and airy spaces, a shape that conifers have naturally in Asia.

For the subjects having a creeping port, one will take care as far as possible, so that all the clouds are directed towards outside.

Cloud pruning in 4 steps

The Japanese "cloud pruning" will be done in four successive steps:

1. A first important phase which consists in studying the tree from all sides, from near and far, in order to evaluate and appreciate the existing structure at our disposal
2. Then comes the phase of cleaning and pruning of the tree, in order to remove all the dead wood, the extremely thin branches that go in all directions...
3. Then comes the phase of separation of the masses which will be used for the elaboration of the clouds and which will be carried out according to three great axes, i.e. the general movement, the direction and the size of the branches
4. The clouds are then formed, then pruned and cut, in a regular way to obtain more and more dense clumps. Some clouds, even some branches, will be removed to obtain an elegant and harmonious subject.

Even if these trees are commonly called "garden bonsai" in the nurseryman's jargon, they differ from the bonsai culture, by the fact that the roots are not worked and remain intact. Thus the tree is not weakened and its growth is not limited, the "root" volume being always approximately the same as the leaf volume, in the plant world. They are eventually surrounded every three years if the tree is in the ground, in order to be able to move it or to put it in a pot more easily.

The vast family of camellias

Camellias around the world

The camellia is represented by about forty natural species, i.e. those that grow in the wild, mainly in Japan and China. There are also some in Thailand and Vietnam, but they are rather tropical species, which cannot be acclimatized in our gardens. Moreover, about 40000 selections have been created throughout the world, whose variations concern the flowers and the leaves.

The variations of flowers and leaves of camellias

In terms of flowering periods, we distinguish between autumn camellias, which start to flower from October 15th to December 15th, then winter camellias and finally spring camellias. The flowering of camellias lasts, thus, until May 15.

There are camellias with sophisticated flowers, large flowers or natural species with small flowers. As far as the foliage is concerned, there is also diversity: variegated leaves, small leaves, fine leaves, dark green leaves, light green leaves...

The culture of camellias

Camellias are mainly grown in acidic soils, such as those of western France, Brittany, and in ancient massifs. In Brittany, the camellia grows naturally and can live for several hundred years. On some old estates, you can find camellias that are more than 150 years old with trunks over 50 cm in diameter.

Most camellias like shade, except for the autumn camellias, which prefer the sun.

Depending on their shape, it is more or less necessary to prune them. There are upright camellias that can be pruned to order the silhouette, weeping camellias that don't need any particular pruning, or camellias that can be integrated into hedges and pruned directly with a hedge trimmer; you then obtain a compact hedge, almost like a cedar hedge, with flowers as well!

From creeping camellias to 10-meter high trees, there are truly camellias for every taste!

The hardiness of camellias

Concerning the cold hardiness of camellias, there is also a great diversity of cases. Tropical camellias are freezing, while others can withstand temperatures as low as -20°C. It is therefore important to be well informed about camellia varieties before making a purchase.

Hydrangea cuttings

The hydrangea is an opulent flowering shrub that lights up our gardens every year with its colorful pompons.

Hydrangea is easy to grow and once well established, it will bloom abundantly in the summer. This generous plant will elegantly dress a wall, can be used as a hedge, or simply as a central element of a bed. It will be very easy to multiply Hydrangeas in the summer season by following these few tips...

Cutting period

The end of spring and summer are the ideal periods to cut hydrangeas.

In spring, cuttings should be taken from the non-arched stems (still green) while in summer, semi-woody branches should be chosen.

Cutting methods

The simplest method is to make cuttings using the end of a stem; the recovery will work better if the cutting is taken from a branch that has not flowered during the year.

• Cut the branch with sharp secateurs or a knife without crushing the stem to a height of 15 cm, just below a group of leaves;
• Remove all the lower leaves, leaving only the two leaves at the top of the stem;
• Plant the stem in a tall pot containing a mixture of heather soil, potting soil and river sand;
• Water well and let it drain;
• Cover the cutting and the pot with a translucent plastic bag (freezer bag) that you will maintain with a rubber band fixed around the pot. This is the "smothering" method of taking cuttings.

Another method is to take half-hardened heel cuttings in summer for this purpose:

• Detach a branch with a piece of bark from the main stem ;
• Cut off the basal leaves ;
• Place the cutting in the same mixture as previously recommended, water and seal in a plastic bag.

The roots should form in less than three weeks, the formation of new leaves is a sure sign of recovery. You can then remove the plastic bag and grow the cutting in its pot in the shade.

During the winter, place your cuttings in a frost-free environment; a ventilated frame will do the trick during the good weather. These plants can be installed in the garden the following spring or grown in a pot for another two years, giving them time to harden off before being introduced into the garden.

Tips for success

The cuttings should be placed in a bright place but never in full sun. Be careful not to keep the saucers full of water because the young roots could rot. To avoid cryptogamic diseases, a trick consists in adding charcoal powder to the substrate.

Remember to water well the first year the plants from cuttings installed in the garden, they will have better chances of recovery.