erect your hand if you ’ve drop to prune your plants before .
My hand ’s nurture , in caseful you were wondering . It ’s one of those things that can easily get away from you .
If you forget to piddle , your plants differentiate you pretty chop-chop that they ’re distressed . But pruning can be neglected for a foresightful time before gardener notice , at least in some causa .

Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
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That ’s specially lawful of camellia , which can go for years and yr without cut back and they might still look totally hunky-dory .
Many cultivars keep a pretty dense , clean look without any input from us .

But pruning is indispensable for maintaining healthy camelia and encouraging fertile blooming .
The difference between a works muffle in colourful flowers and one that is just ho - hum is often the result of pruning .
come up , we ’re going to talk about when , why , and how to trim your camellias . Here ’s what to watch for :

What You’ll Learn
Some people fuck to get out there and trim down their plant and some hate it .
I fall into the former camp simply because I wish the horticulture undertaking that give me instant results .
But if you do n’t adore the process , just prompt yourself that you ’ll be rewarded with a healthier plant life and a prettier show next year .

get those shaft ready ? Here we go !
When to Prune Camellias
Pruning is more about whennotto do it rather than whentodo it when it comes to camellia .
What you do n’t want to do is initiate making slash while the bud are take form or you wo n’t have any efflorescence that class .
Depending on the character , most camellias start budding in previous summertime and other fall .

The safest time to prune is right after all of the flowers have faded .
Keep in nous that if you have to cut off the plant back sternly , you might not have many flower in the following yr , but it ’s necessary for its long - full term wellness .
You ’ll be pay back with more heyday than ever in the issue forth class after that .

If you see a branchthat count diseased , is break , or is intemperately infested with pests , feel innocent to polish off that at any time of year .
Beyond that , you only take to prune every few years rather than doing so yearly .
Reasons to Prune
Pruning is n’t just about do your works look full , though that ’s part of it . You should also prune to bump off diseased or infested branches , or branches that are dead or dying .
What ’s more , you require to prune to re - invigorate growth and to bear any bush that have become overgrown . Plus , trimming grant more light to move into the interior of the bush .
With each cut you make , you encourage branching and new ontogeny , and that have in mind more flowers and foliation to add up .

How to Prune Your Plants
The first step is to verify you ’re starting with clean and sharp tools . You might need to use secateurs , pruner , shears , and saws , count on how overgrown your flora is .
Now , get going cut . Remove any offshoot that stick out from the remainder of the flora .
you’re able to either reduce them back in line with the sleep of the growing or absent them entirely . Remove any scraggly or ugly growth . Any rubbing or crossing branches should be removed , too .
If you have a part of the works that attend thin , reduce a few branches back by a third or so to a point just in front of a leaf to promote branching .
Alternatively , you may prune the new ontogenesis back to the point where the late class ’s growth stop to advance branch .
To subdue the size of a bush , go slowly and do it over several years . In the first year , cut the bush down to the stature you want .
Next class , cut back any new growth to that tallness to produce branching . In the third class , shape the bush so it ’s more aesthetically pleasing overall .
To create a tree , cut off all of the branch from the lowly third but leave the rest of the flora unmoved . In the second year , shape the pennant .
Always cut branch back wealthy with the trunk when you move out them completely . You do n’t need to result a stump .
Cut branch that you ’re partially trimming back to just in front of a leaf bud . That ’s where new growth will emerge .
Pruning Keeps Your Camellias in Good Shape
Despite the fact that camellias are n’t extremely high - maintenance plants , they do need some care to look their absolute good .
It ’s not rare for plants to be infested with pests , scalein particular , if you neglect the pruning .
And those works you ’ve admire with the big , full display ? you’re able to bet that they ’ve been cautiously dress every few years .
So what ’s going on with your plants ? What make for you to this guide ? Did you inherit a few in the yard of a Modern home you purchase , like I did ?
quick tocontinue your camelia journey ? you may have a lot of fun with these plants ! Here are a few more guides to get you start :
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