A proper summer pruning for trees and bushes can cause fruit trees to bear more fruit, bring about a second round of flowers, or even allow bushes to remain healthier into their winter dormancy period
Summer Pruning
Summer pruning of fruit trees like apple, pear, cherry, plum and peach is from June to August, preferably in dry weather. With regular pruning fruit get enough space and light to grow and mature. It is also a good way to remove infected branches and leaves with fungi, pests and parasites. At the same time, inhibit the growth of shoots that do not bear fruit, that gives other shoots that are more likely to fruit next year.
Summer pruning of flowers allows the plant to focus it’s energy into the healthy branches, and often results in a second flowering. The healthy plant will be resistant to disease, fungi, and keep it healthy for winter dormancy.
Summer pruning of bushes keeps the plant shaped nicely, for a better appearance throughout the summer and fall. It also allows the bush to grow healthy new shoots, without sapping energy for dead or unwanted sections. The plant will be better suited for winter dormancy, by efficiently distributing it’s food only to needed parts.
How do you prune?
Remove all shoots and twigs on the rootstock(we call them suckers). Pull them out or cut them deeply away with a trimmer or shears. The shoots on the back (top) of branches may be broken or pruned. Breaking has the advantage that they recover slower. At saw wounds from the winter pruning often occur several new shoots. Let one grow horizontally and prune or break away the rest. See you shoot tips infected with powdery mildew? Cut them off and check weekly to ensure it doesn’t come back.
Summer pruning berry bushes
Small fruit like raspberries, grapes and blackberries you can prune in the summer. So you give the fruit more light and air and have less chance of expanding fungi. Do not prune in extreme high temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. Fruit may incur sun damage. And do not forget, of course, between what to eat from the fruit that is already ripe.
Pruning grape vines
When the grape is the most important thing is the growth of annual shoots which inhibit. Shortly them heavily in. So there is more energy left for your grapes. Now Limit the number of bunches to two or maximum three per shoot. Note also the side shoots, pruning to keep coming back to one leaf. Such well-pruned grape gives the most beautiful and delicious fruit. And since a depleted plant when it rains also dries faster, prevents fungal diseases. Cut the end of the summer some extra sheet away to give you plenty of sun grapes, they are sweeter.
Pruning raspberries
Raspberry Summer pruning you after harvest in June / July. You cut off the branches that have given fruit. The young shoots grow better. Autumn raspberries you can thin out slightly in the summer. They are lighter and less susceptible to mold.
Pruning blackberries
Blackberries your pruning after harvest. Sturdy new shoots let you down. All the branches that have flowered, sick, dead or damaged and all side branches pruning your way.
Pruning other small fruit
Berries, mulberry and other small fruits you should not prune in the summer.
Pruning roses
By pruning roses in summer you can get an extra bloom in late summer. Overblown pruning shoots you back to a few centimetres above a leaf on the stem. With luck, there grows a new shoot giving flowers in late summer. Why prune just above a five-leaf? The shoots that grow there are much stronger than a three blade. And that gives more chance of new flowers.
Summer is also a good time to remove wild battle of roses. Wild Battle are shoots that grow on the rootstock of your dandruff. Often the rootstock of another species than you rose itself to create a stronger root system. Wild Battle is lighter in color than shoots of the rose and the magazine also looks different. Pull wild battle of the rootstock loose, then you have the slightest chance that it comes back.
Pruning geraniums
Give geraniums second flowering by cutting them in June / July. The pruning is the new plant shoots and is still the same summer again in bloom. Then you any longer is in a brightly colored garden.
Pruning hedges
Boxwood, yew and beech hedges pruning you in the summer to keep them in the desired shape. That includes hedges of privet and laurel cherry.
Conifers are some slower growing and pruning you only mid-June, not later in the summer. Use a manual hand trimmer or a (electric/gas) hedge trimmer.