Australian Plants for Adelaide Gardens - Pruning

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Pruning

Pruning should be carried out mainly to shape and strengthen plants to meet desired requirements. With care and subtle pruning at regular intervals this can be achieved without desecration.

If the size of a shrubby plant is required to be limited, frequent light pruning is better than spasmodic heavy pruning. This method retains the natural appearance of the shrub without exposing woody branches which may encourage disease.

Most native plants are best trimmed immediately after flowering, removing the dead flowers and ensuring that the plant does not become dominated by seed capsules. Such a method is particularly successful with many of the hard-wooded myrtaceous plants such as Callistemon, Melaleuca and Leptospermum, because it encourages soft new growth followed by a wealth of flowers each year.