Questions tagged [pruning]

Questions about how to best cut plant branches, vines or stems. For questions about root pruning please use the [root-pruning] tag.

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How should I prune my butterfly pea?

I have a butterfly pea Clitoria ternatea. How should I prune it? I am growing it in zone 8a, so it may not survive it's first winter. It is currently dormant. How much can I cut it back in the ...
Anonymous Physicist's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
19 views

Japanese maple Mikawa Yatsubusa - Coping with bad tip pruning?

Location is Portland, OR This was tip-pruned a year ago (not by me) and all the pruned tips sprouted these long shoots with leaf clusters only at the ends. This is supposed to be a dwarf, but if it ...
Jim Garrison's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
26 views

Help please my rubber tree

I am new here and I am reading lots of good advice. I have had this plant for 7 years now and it’s been repotted 3 times, I’ve cut back many times where the arms are and the top but it never grows in ...
Emma's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
33 views

Mowing Fall Bearing Raspberries

I live on zone 6a and have some fall bearing raspberries which were recently mowed (November 3rd). This was about two weeks after first frost. Unfortunately, I've learned after the fact that the time ...
But those new buttons though..'s user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
40 views

Pruning rooted fig cutting

I rooted a fig cutting back in the spring and now have a 2 foot baby tree with a single leader and no branches. Do I prune the leader during the winter or will the tree branch out on its own next ...
Jennifer's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
73 views

Should I remove this branch?

Novice gardener, here. I have a small grove of trees next to my driveway that has been growing wild for years (new home). I want to help this grove flourish in the long term. One tree in particular is ...
Mark Ebbert's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
43 views

How to prune a new cherry plant

I planted two sweet cherry bare roots on 15 April. It’s now almost 5 months and the plants seem to have grown well. One plant has 3 stems while the other has 5. I was keen to know when and how I ...
Div Sharan's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
422 views

Did I cut too much off my kale?

I am wondering if I cut off too much from this plant. Please advise.
ParthianShotgun's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
71 views

Should I cut off the brown/white branches of my asparagus fern?

My fern sits in the office and has many of these light brown or white branches. Should I remove these by cutting them off, and how can I prevent them from happening again? Thanks for the help!
su.jai's user avatar
  • 21
4 votes
1 answer
86 views

Taxus yew pruning

We planted these Taxus Yew hedges ("hicksii") along our fence line and they seem to be doing well in the shade. Since they were planted earlier in the year they have grown considerably but ...
Clovergardens's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
34 views

How can I grow my Chinese elm bonsai bigger?

I Bought this bonsai a few weeks ago and everything is going good (I've pruned the roots and branches, it's in a small pot, and it's even growing new leaves very fast). There are no actual problems ...
Twurti's user avatar
  • 141
3 votes
2 answers
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Should I prune these branches on my young grapevine?

I am a total beginner at gardening, and am having a go at trying to grow a grapevine for fun :) I am looking for some advice before I prune it, because I don't want to do something damaging. The ...
teeeeee's user avatar
  • 133
2 votes
0 answers
28 views

Do I cut top of new mimosa tree?

We planted a mimosa tree in February- March 2023. It was fairly small. started off really good. Then leaves started to turn yellow then brownish. It seemed to not be growing much. Then recently the ...
PFolse's user avatar
  • 21
4 votes
2 answers
318 views

Does deadheading roses work?

I understand that it's accepted horticultural practice but is there any scientific evidence that deadheading roses actually encourages further flowering?
Peter4075's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
20 views

Should I cut my raspberry cane that bloomed but they dried up before fruiting?

My 3 yr old red raspberry bloomed and the flowers dried up due to weather/watering. I don't know what kind of raspberry plant it is. It's a bare root from Walmart. Should I cut the cane or will it ...
Teresa's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
521 views

How to address a broken peach branch

Yesterday I discovered a broken limb on a peach tree. My plan is to remove it properly in another week or so hopefully after the fruit ripens. My question is how should this be addressed for the ...
But those new buttons though..'s user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
28 views

Pruning chili plant

I have grown a chili plant from seeds. It grows fine but I think it getting too tall compared to the width (now at 22 cm/8.5 in). How should I prune it to get a nice dense plant?
Stefan's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Young weeping silver birch heavy on one side

My young weeping silver birch arrived with most of its branches on the left side. Maybe a silly question but will branches grow on right as it grows in height or is there something I could do to help ...
Caroline Brazier's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
52 views

How should I handle needle buildup under my Lawson cypress hedge?

I recently purchased a home with a large Lawson cypress hedge along the neighboring property line. It's about a dozen trees, each 20-30 feet tall and maybe 5-6 foot diameter on average. My neighbor ...
Mosekon's user avatar
  • 31
2 votes
1 answer
77 views

Liquidambar/sweet gum - competing leaders and potential rot in crotches

We have a large, established liquidambar tree with many competing leaders (the trunk is ~1m (3') diameter but 2 m (6') from the ground it divides into 10 or so ~300 mm (12") diameter branches). I'...
alg1000's user avatar
  • 23
1 vote
0 answers
81 views

Should I top a dawn redwood (metasequoia glyptostroboides) growing between buildings?

I have a dawn redwood in my city garden. It's starting to grow higher than the surrounding buildings (about 20 to 25 metres), leading to higher winds near the top than the tree was used to for the ...
FrederikVds's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
24 views

Concord Grape Vine Pruning

I am in year two of establishing a Concord grape vine according to the Four-Arm Kniffen system at my home in New Jersey, and I have a couple of questions related to pruning. I planted the vine in ...
Mike Boyle's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Maple suddenly has some variegated leaves. What should I do?

I have a maple in my front yard that suddenly has some variegated leaves on two branches. It is this maple that I asked about in 2019. The pruning effort seems to be going well, but two branches that ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
261 views

Birch Tree; Section of branches have no Leaves

I have a group of 3 birch tree's in my backyard, Jacksonville, FL. Last year I noticed that there was a center section, on the entire group, that did not have leaves on the branches. I have River ...
Don G's user avatar
  • 21
3 votes
0 answers
39 views

How to correct odd Japanese Maple growth pattern?

I performed my first pruning of this tree last year, removing some lower branches and shortening the longest branch (growing towards the house) as I lost the middle leader naturally. I pruned about 1/...
Evil Elf's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
15 views

Olive tree not flowering after pruning (2 years)

I have an olive tree that was beautiful, full of leaves and producing fruit. Well, my gardener thought it was a good idea to prune the tree 2 years ago. The leaves never came back, only at the bottom ...
Helo's user avatar
  • 1
4 votes
1 answer
843 views

Can I top a money tree plant below its leaves?

I have a money tree plant that has grown very leggy and tall, and it has lost all of its lower leaves. I want to make it shorty and fuller, but I don't want to kill it by pruning it. If I cut off the ...
Merchako's user avatar
  • 225
2 votes
0 answers
100 views

Is my avocado dead after pruning?

I pruned my 1 year old avocado plant a few months ago and now when it shoots new leaves they die before being able to branch out or become big. Have I killed my avocado? Is there anything I can do to ...
Maria Forero's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
228 views

How to refresh an old hedge with thick trunks and few branches/leaves (Eugenia)

I have a Eugenia hedge that has bordered our house for what our neighbors say has been >60 years (Southern California). Many of the individual trunks are thick, with few branches. After years of ...
Shannon's user avatar
  • 121
4 votes
3 answers
798 views

Saving my cherry tree

I moved into a house with a large mature cherry tree. The tree seems to have been severely neglected. The bark is peeling off from most of the large branches, I can see boring insects have made holes ...
Prav's user avatar
  • 329
2 votes
2 answers
55 views

How to prune this peach tree?

I have this peach tree of unknown age, pictured below. It produces a lot of fruit, but all the branches need to be supported by tripods and thinned heavily. Is there any reasonable strategy for ...
jnj16180340's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
59 views

Saving the fig tree after a pruning session

I've pruned my fig tree and I think I might have made some mistakes. I'd like to bring it down in size so that the fruit is reachable. Any advice (ideally with instructions) on what I can do to ...
Blücher's user avatar
  • 121
2 votes
1 answer
85 views

How to prune down an almost leafless 8’ indoor avocado tree without killing it?

I have an 8’ tall indoor avocado pear tree which has only got a handful of leaves on the very top. The plant is under a skylight. The whole stem of the tree is very dry and has no branches or leaves....
user41003's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
63 views

How can I reshape a Japanese maple with dead branches in the centre

I have a minuature Japanese Maple 'Deshojo' bought 2 years ago and it has done well since. I live in Northern France, it is in full sun in the afternoon but there are only a few weeks it is really hot ...
May's user avatar
  • 81
6 votes
1 answer
911 views

Mulberry bleeding for a month

When I got my mulberry plant 8 months ago, it has two main branches. I wanted only 1 main branch. So removed one branch before planting. But the way I have removed the branch was, I left 1.5 inch from ...
EresDev's user avatar
  • 445
2 votes
1 answer
29 views

How does sap flow relate to angle of stem/branch?

Being spring in my part of the world, I have recently been pruning my young trees and roses. Having read and watched a bunch of educational content to remind myself of the do's and don'ts of pruning. ...
Jimbo's user avatar
  • 131
1 vote
2 answers
31 views

Unexplained shoots sprouting

I have a weeping mulberry non-fruit bearing that has a few new shoots sprouting out of the top that have diff leaves that appear lobbed. These new shoots do not weep down like the rest of the tree, ...
Lle's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
2 answers
481 views

How can I get my indoor Lemon tree with no leaves or branches to grow a new branch or leaf?

I have this lemon tree (Meyer I think) and since April it has not had any leaves. It did go through a period without water (and it was indoors, but I put it in front of the window). I have pruned all ...
sab Bria's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
63 views

Does cucumber fruit re-grow on older vines?

I noticed that my cucumber fruit grows on younger vines. I did not cut off the suckers, and the plant is growing all over. I wanted to know - do cucumber fruit re-grow on the older vines again later ...
tbkn23's user avatar
  • 229
1 vote
1 answer
258 views

How & when should I prune this potted olive tree?

I've had this olive tree for over 3 years on my (south-east-facing) balcony in Munich, Germany. It's getting a bit 'wide' for my tastes, and I'd like to prune it to thicken the growth and encourage ...
Tempest16's user avatar
  • 185
2 votes
0 answers
30 views

How far can I cut back this hedge?

I have this hedge (lavender star flower -- Grewia occidentalis): [] It is growing in a very dark corridor between my house and the fence. It does pretty well there, but I need to paint the fence. ...
MemoryWrangler's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
27 views

Young cherry tree pruning

I bought this young cherry tree last year and it was about half the size. It was pruned when I bought it (imagine1) you can see where the cut was made. It did not start growing from the sides but ...
nader h's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
1 answer
293 views

How to prune a viburnum tree back into a shrub?

Next to my house is a viburnum that has grown unchecked and now it’s a tree - maybe 12 to 15 feet tall. It is healthy. Is it possible to turn it back into a bush - more like 6 to 8 feet tall? There ...
DaveBurns's user avatar
  • 175
1 vote
2 answers
39 views

Do I dare drastically cut fruit bushes back?

I'm seeing a cherry bush that has all the flowers up high (out of reach), and a current bush that doesn't seem to really be producing new growth. Should I cut them or any other bushes to the ground?
black thumb's user avatar
  • 8,866
1 vote
1 answer
216 views

How to prune a young MASTIC TREE?

This little tree is about 5 feet tall and has 4-5 stems - I want it to have multi trunk. It's growing in AZ so should I worry about sun damage after I pruned it to make it look less like a bush. The ...
amazingAZ's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
46 views

Geranium petals are drying out

My geranium petals are drying out. They are sitting in a jute lined crate, plenty of drainage (which I need because it rains on and off in this city a lot). However, I test the soul every few days and ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 341
1 vote
1 answer
48 views

Mango tree post efflorescence… what now?

Healthy young mango grew a large efflorescence, but didn’t ultimately produce fruit. That’s ok! But now there’s a big “leftover” growth atop the primary trunk, and some smaller new growth coming up ...
PHiL's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
1 answer
52 views

When to remove unwanted buds

I have planted a 15 feet long mulberry plant about a week ago. I don't want it to have any branch in its bottom 7 feet. But I see it is growing new buds everywhere. When to remove these wanted bottom ...
EresDev's user avatar
  • 445
4 votes
1 answer
240 views

What will happen if I *don't* prune a Group 2 Clematis

I've read a bunch of recommendations about pruning clematis, by group. But I haven't really found anything that gives an indication of what will happen if I fail to do that pruning. I assume that &...
Brondahl's user avatar
  • 833
4 votes
1 answer
54 views

Pruning "unmaintained" roses

I am not a gardener, but I have however found myself in stewardship of 3 rose plants planted in beds, each in memory of folks who've crossed over. They have never been pruned. The only clue I can give ...
Grimm The Opiner's user avatar

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