Prime time for pruning ahead
Get those shears ready
QI’ve been hearing talk among gardening friends about getting their late winter “dormant” pruning of fruit trees and roses done this month. I gather this is the recommended time. Is this when you prune?
A: I do some pruning in late winter, but never in wet conditions. I wait for dry days this month or early in March to prune roses — ideally as growth buds on the plants begin to show the first signs of swelling. This indicates that sap is just beginning to rise and cuts will heal quickly.
I wait until summer to do almost all the fruit tree pruning. Summer pruning helps to keep the trees compact, while winter pruning, especially if it is fairly severe, prompts copious new growth, which means an increase in future pruning work.
Summer pruning in warm, sunny weather promotes rapid healing of pruning wounds and limits the spread of diseases. This is especially crucial in the soft fruits like plums, which are particularly prone to various diseases.
I prune after fruits have formed and excess numbers have been shed in the “June drop,” and again with a followup shortening of new growth in July. At these times, I’ll also remove awkwardly placed growth and thin enough to relieve congestion in the trees.
QI’m geared up for sowing vegetable and flower seeds indoors this year. Is there anything I can start now?
A: Indoor sowings can begin now of pansies and violas, leeks and onions, sweet peas and snapdragons.
As long as weather and soil conditions are reasonable, these cold-tolerant
vegetables and flowers can usually be transplanted in March or early April.
In winter, I also enjoy sowing pots of compact basil and cilantro for growing under plant lights or at a
south-facing window.
Seed packets and catalogue descriptions indicate varieties suitable for growing in pots indoors. I grow “Pluto” (William Dam Seeds) and “Pistou” (Veseys) basil.