We sowed or planted most of the plants in the spring and it seems that in the middle of summer we can already relax. But experienced gardeners know that July is the time to plant vegetables to obtain a late harvest and the possibility of longer storage. This also applies to potatoes. It is better to use the early summer potato harvest quickly; it is not suitable for long-term storage. But the second harvest of potatoes is exactly what is needed for winter and spring use.
Astrakhan tomatoes ripen remarkably well lying on the ground, but this experience should not be repeated in the Moscow region. Our tomatoes need support, support, garter. My neighbors use all sorts of stakes, tie-downs, loops, ready-made plant supports and mesh fencing. Each method of fixing a plant in a vertical position has its own advantages and “side effects”. I'll tell you how I place tomato bushes on trellises and what comes out of it.
Bulgur with pumpkin is an every day dish that can be easily prepared in half an hour. Bulgur is boiled separately, the cooking time depends on the size of the grains - whole and coarse grinding takes about 20 minutes, fine grinding literally a few minutes, sometimes the cereal is simply poured with boiling water, like couscous. While the cereal is cooking, prepare the pumpkin in sour cream sauce, and then combine the ingredients. If you replace melted butter with vegetable oil and sour cream with soy cream, then it can be included in the Lenten menu.
Flies are a sign of unsanitary conditions and carriers of infectious diseases that are dangerous to both people and animals. People are constantly looking for ways to get rid of unpleasant insects. In this article we will talk about the Zlobny TED brand, which specializes in fly repellents and knows a lot about them. The manufacturer has developed a specialized line of products to get rid of flying insects anywhere quickly, safely and at no extra cost.
The summer months are the time for hydrangeas to bloom. This beautiful deciduous shrub produces luxuriously fragrant flowers from June to September. Florists readily use large inflorescences for wedding decorations and bouquets. To admire the beauty of a flowering hydrangea bush in your garden, you should take care of the proper conditions for it. Unfortunately, some hydrangeas do not bloom year after year, despite the care and efforts of gardeners. We will tell you why this happens in the article.
Every summer resident knows that plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for full development. These are three main macronutrients, the deficiency of which significantly affects the appearance and yield of plants, and in advanced cases can lead to their death. But not everyone understands the importance of other macro- and microelements for plant health. And they are important not only in themselves, but also for the effective absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, are one of the early aromatic berries that summer generously gifts us with. How happy we are about this harvest! In order for the “berry boom” to repeat every year, we need to take care of the berry bushes in the summer (after the end of fruiting). The laying of flower buds, from which ovaries will form in the spring and berries in the summer, begins approximately 30 days after the end of fruiting.
Spicy pickled watermelon is a savory appetizer for fatty meat. Watermelons and watermelon rinds have been pickled since time immemorial, but this process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. According to my recipe, you can simply prepare pickled watermelon in 10 minutes, and by the evening the spicy appetizer will be ready. Watermelon marinated with spices and chili can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Be sure to keep the jar in the refrigerator, not only for the sake of safety - when chilled, this snack is simply licking your fingers!
Among the variety of species and hybrids of philodendrons, there are many plants, both gigantic and compact. But not a single species competes in unpretentiousness with the main modest one - the blushing philodendron. True, his modesty does not concern the appearance of the plant. Blushing stems and cuttings, huge leaves, long shoots, forming, although very large, but also a strikingly elegant silhouette, look very elegant. Philodendron blushing requires only one thing - at least minimal care.
Thick chickpea soup with vegetables and egg is a simple recipe for a hearty first course, inspired by oriental cuisine. Similar thick soups are prepared in India, Morocco, and Southeast Asian countries. The tone is set by spices and seasonings - garlic, chili, ginger and a bouquet of spicy spices, which can be assembled to your taste. It is better to fry vegetables and spices in clarified butter (ghee) or mix olive and butter in a pan; this, of course, is not the same, but it tastes similar.
Plum - well, who isn’t familiar with it?! She is loved by many gardeners. And all because it has an impressive list of varieties, surprises with excellent yields, pleases with its diversity in terms of ripening and a huge selection of color, shape and taste of fruits. Yes, in some places it feels better, in others it feels worse, but almost no summer resident gives up the pleasure of growing it on his plot. Today it can be found not only in the south, in the middle zone, but also in the Urals and Siberia.
Many ornamental and fruit crops, except drought-resistant ones, suffer from the scorching sun, and conifers in the winter-spring period suffer from sunlight, enhanced by reflection from the snow. In this article we will tell you about a unique product for protecting plants from sunburn and drought - Sunshet Agrosuccess. The problem is relevant for most regions of Russia. In February and early March, the sun's rays become more active, and the plants are not yet ready for new conditions.
“Every vegetable has its own time,” and every plant has its own optimal time for planting. Anyone who has dealt with planting is well aware that the hot season for planting is spring and autumn. This is due to several factors: in the spring the plants have not yet begun to grow rapidly, there is no sweltering heat and precipitation often falls. However, no matter how hard we try, circumstances often develop such that planting has to be carried out in the midst of summer.
Chili con carne translated from Spanish means chili with meat. This is a Texas and Mexican dish whose main ingredients are chili peppers and shredded beef. In addition to the main products there are onions, carrots, tomatoes, and beans. This red lentil chili recipe is delicious! The dish is fiery, scalding, very filling and amazingly tasty! You can make a big pot, put it in containers and freeze - you'll have a delicious dinner for a whole week.
Cucumber is one of the most favorite garden crops of our summer residents. However, not all and not always gardeners manage to get a really good harvest. And although growing cucumbers requires regular attention and care, there is a little secret that will significantly increase their yield. We are talking about pinching cucumbers. Why, how and when to pinch cucumbers, we will tell you in the article. An important point in the agricultural technology of cucumbers is their formation, or type of growth.
Hedges can be used to decorate a site in an original way, divide it into sectors, and isolate yourself from curious neighbors. In order for a planting to fulfill its decorative and applied function, it needs to be looked after: properly trimmed, shaped, and fed. In this article we will tell you how to trim a hedge and how often it should be done.
To make living fences look so neat, they should be trimmed 2 to 5 times a year or more often, depending on the type of plantBasic rules for pruning shrubs
Basic care measures for the above-ground part of hedges are trimming and pruning. Living fencing should be trimmed for more than just its beauty. Thanks to correct formation, each plant will be strong, and the composition will be harmonious, dense, and uniform.
In order for the procedure to benefit the planting, you need to adhere to 10 simple but mandatory rules:
- Pruning should be carried out strictly within the period allocated for one or another type of pruning. Otherwise, you can destroy the plant.
- It is advisable to trim intricately shaped hedges using templates.
- Plan the shape of the fence initially, and carry out the formation gradually, following the intended goal.
- If bird nests are noticed in the branches of a fence, the pruning procedure should be postponed until the young birds move out of them.
- Pruning should be carried out taking into account the type of plant that makes up the living fence.
- Trim living fences of plants with foliage regularly.
- Plant fences made of conifers cannot be pruned later than the third ten days of August, otherwise the new shoots will not have time to become completely woody before frost.
- Hedges that are trimmed are well nourished.
- After pruning, the plant needs to be watered.
- You should choose the right pruning tools.
When purchasing devices for cutting plants, you need to pay attention to whether they are made of high-quality material, whether they are convenient to hold in the brush, for what specific purposes you plan to use the tool, etc.
Types and purposes of trimming living fences
There are several types of pruning for living fences. Each of them performs its own tasks and is held at the appropriate time of year.
| No. | Trimming type | Goals | Time spending |
| 1. | Formative | Formation of the crown and determination of the density of its saturation with branches | Mid February – March |
| 2. | Regulatory | Supporting the specified parameters of the formed crown, achieving lighting balance | As needed, but not in winter and not during sap flow |
| 3. | Regenerating | Returning the opportunity to grow, bloom, bear fruit | February – mid-April, August – September |
| 4. | Rejuvenating | Impetus for the formation of young shoots in aged plants | Mid-February – mid-April, August – September |
| 5. | Sanitary | Elimination of dead, diseased, and interfering branches | All year round, except winter and periods of active sap flow |
Tip #1. Choose the time for anti-aging pruning depending on the type of hedge. For evergreen hedges, it is carried out in April - the first days of March. It is better to prune deciduous trees at the end of winter, while they are still resting.
Features of primary and subsequent pruning
A free-growing plant does not need to be artificially modified. Formed fences need trimming. Both types of hedges require care during the first time after planting.
This light pruning is necessary to increase the density of branches. Primary pruning. The quality of plant rooting and the appearance of the planting in the future depend on it. Shearing triggers intensive growth of young shoots and stimulates the development of the root apparatus. The table below provides information regarding primary pruning.
When the planting has grown. The formed leaf fence, which has reached the desired size, is trimmed frequently (almost monthly).
It is useful to thin out the crown - once/several years, in the spring before the buds appear.
Old, thickened branches are eliminated, and young ones are shortened by two-thirds of their length. A formed fence of conifers is trimmed at least 2 times a year, but for some types of plants - less often.
Working tools for pruning branches
Attention should be paid to the choice of tools used for pruning and trimming plants. Cheap, low-quality tools quickly become unusable. They become loose at the base and the blades lose their sharpness. If you trim branches with such devices, you can cause significant harm to the plant instead of the expected benefit.
- pruning shears – used for delicate tasks (for example, pruning plants with thin branches);
- scissors with toothed blades - used to remove large-caliber branches and woody stems;
- lopper – designed for working with the thickest, most hardened branches;
- electric scissors - they are used to give plants an intricate shape (double-sided tool) or to design straight sections of a fence (one-sided tool).
To quickly and efficiently trim the tops of large hedges, it is convenient to use electric trimmers. Tip #2. For broad-leaved evergreen shrubs (for example, cherry laurel), it is advisable to choose pruning shears. Scissors can severely damage the sheets, which will cause the loss of decorativeness of the planting.
How to trim and shape bushes
To trim and shape decorative deciduous shrubs (for example, viburnum, lilac, hazel), they are trimmed with pruning shears a year after planting. Primary pruning is carried out in the spring, at a height of 30-40 cm from the soil. In the future, crown shape correction is required twice a year.
For living fences, climbing annuals and perennial vines (wild grapes, tea rose bushes, ivy, etc.) are also often used. Plants branch quickly, so regular formation is required. Use scissors or pruners. They form plants, creating arched complexes, and shade gazebos and fences with them. Roses and grapes are pruned in the fall. Hops and ivy vines should be trimmed in early spring.
Features of the formation of plants, more often than others used in the creation of living fences:
- Privet. In order to form a shrub with a beautiful crown, it needs to be pruned regularly from the 2nd year of planting. In modern landscape design, semicircular, spherical, and cubic shapes are cut. Trim with a lopper and pruning shears. As a result, flowering decreases, but the growth of branches and foliage increases.
For the first time, more than ½ of the shoots on privet are cut off, and subsequently - up to 70% of the growth. - Spirea. Pruning depends on the plant variety. Bushes that form flowers on last year's branches cannot be cut back every year. Trim the plant after flowering, to the root. In spring - remove up to half the length of the branches. Other varieties require careful annual cleaning. Branches are cut back to the first bud in spring.
- Hawthorn. There is no need to trim the hawthorn hedge very low from the soil; this still will not help get rid of the exposed trunk. Pruning is carried out once a season. The lower branches above the pronounced bud are removed. Young shoots are allowed to grow, and then they are also cut off.
- Thuja. The plant responds well to pruning and quickly develops new shoots. The hair is cut for the first time in June, when the shape is set. Correction is carried out in mid-summer. The width of the top of the living fence should be narrower than its base.
Young thuja shoots up to 0.5 cm thick are cut using special scissors. - Spruce. Form a spruce hedge in the spring. In order for the planting to have a beautiful appearance, it is necessary to restrain the growth of spruce. Pruning allows you to make the hedge fluffy and moderately tall. It also helps to give the crown its original shape.
Pegs are driven into the ground (along the fence) and string is pulled over them. Fasten the rope to the desired height, length or width. In other words, they create a kind of limiter along which pruning will be carried out. When using a sharp tool, make sure that the string does not move. It doesn’t take much effort to make a simple structure from posts and rope. But there are many benefits from it. The hedge will acquire a correct, harmonious shape. In addition, the pruning process will be faster and easier.
Plant care after pruning
After pruning, the plant needs to be provided with quality care. It involves applying fertilizer and adequate watering. It is best to apply fertilizer in the first months of spring. Use:
- compost - 3-5 cm thick, it is laid out around the plants;
- complex (universal) mineral supplements – suitable for all varieties of plants;
- special mineral fertilizers - used for a specific type of fence (deciduous, coniferous).
Abundant watering and mulching of the soil, as well as regular weeding and loosening the soil, have a good effect on the condition of the pruned plant. If you do not properly care for the hedge afterwards, pruning can weaken the plants, lead to loss of decorativeness, and the death of the plants.
You can mulch the soil with dry grass, covering the soil with a layer of 5–8 cm. Typical gardener mistakes
Many people try not to prune young plants at all in the first few years after they are planted in the ground. This is also incorrect. It is necessary to carry out correct pruning of planted plants to prevent their rapid growth in height. If pruning is not done, the base of the planting will be bare and the top will be too dense.
Also, by pruning in the early stages of hedge development, they stimulate the abundant appearance of root shoots.
Quite often, inexperienced gardeners do not attach due importance to feeding the plant after cleaning its above-ground part. Even if pruning was done correctly, lack of proper nutrition worsens the condition of the hedge. By pruning branches, we deprive the plant of foliage that provides its trophism. It is recommended to add useful minerals and mulch to the soil. Even free-growing hedges require sanitary pruning at least once a year.
Answers to frequently asked questions Question No. 1.
Can cut shoots and leaves be used as mulch?
Branches and foliage removed from hedges during sanitary pruning must be collected and burned. They can be sources of disease and cause harm to healthy plantings. Question No. 2.
How to correctly correlate the width of a hedge to its height when pruning?
To prevent the lower part from thinning out excessively, the fence should be wider at the bottom than at the top. It is advisable to trim and shape it in such a way that the width on all sides of the living fence decreases by 10 cm with an increase in height by 1 m. Question No. 3.
Do all living fences need to be trimmed?
Free-growing hedges are not trimmed. It is advisable to use sanitary, stimulating pruning. Question No. 4.
How deep should a living fence be cut?
Superficial pruning, when only the tips of the shoots are removed, leads to loosening and loss of decorativeness by the planting. The depth increases as the hedge grows. Question No. 5.
When is the right time to prune flowering shrubs?
Shrubs that form inflorescences on old growth are pruned and formed immediately after flowering. The rest form in early spring.
Not only the appearance of your plants depends on the haircut. Regular pruning means healthy, thick, lush green hedges. Read about the first and subsequent haircuts, timing, frequency, and also here tips on caring for old plantings.
Trimming hedges after planting
The first haircut determines how the plant will develop and what your planting will look like in the future. This event is aimed at stimulating and directing growth and the formation of young shoots. The usefulness of root development and partly the speed of vegetation depend on it.Deciduous plants
Before work, the bush is inspected, the strongest branches are selected and shortened above the exit from the ground to 30-40 cm. If they have lateral shoots, they are pinched (2-5 cm from the crown). Weak, twisted, damaged shoots are completely removed. A hedge planted in the fall should be formed in the spring of next year. If planting was in spring/summer, then you can cut it right away.Deciduous evergreens are aged for 2-3 years before the first cutting.
Coniferous plants
Typically, conifers have directional growth and a self-forming crown. In the first years, a haircut is not absolutely necessary. But if you notice an excessive abundance of shoots or want to reduce the volume of the crown, then the cutting operation is carried out in July/August. Unwanted growth is removed at the root, the sides are trimmed carefully, by 7-10 cm, the tops are shortened by 10-20. Damaged and shriveled ones must be removed without fail.Regular hedge trimming
If you want to have a thick green wall, then get ready for annual pruning. This is a prerequisite for a beautiful hedge. Deciduous plantings need more frequent trimming, usually twice a year. The first stage takes place in June/early July: all shoots are truncated by half. The second is the end of August/September: the growth of the current year is shortened by 5-10 cm.The unformed type is inspected for dead wood and weak shoots. Their shape should be natural, but if you need to limit growth in any direction, you can adjust the crown volume at the end of spring.
There are types of fast-growing deciduous shrubs, such as jasmine. In this case, the haircut is carried out frequently, as the shape changes. As a rule, this takes place monthly. With this care, your hedge will always be well-groomed and consistent with the chosen shape.
Coniferous plants are pruned only when necessary: weak growth, excessive height, to reduce volume. The event takes place in the interval April-July - once every 2-3 years. Spruce trees are used for planting in late spring.
Columnar forms are never pruned; exceptions are made when the lower branches are exposed. In this case, a cut is made to the side shoot and the tops are shortened.
For deciduous plantings, crown thinning is done every 3-6 years. The time for this procedure is chosen at the moment of awakening before the buds begin to bloom. Thick and old trunks are removed, young branches are cut off at two-thirds of their length.
When can you not cut your hair?
There are two types of hedges. They are called formed or unformed. They differ in the types of plants planted. For example, bladderwort, virgin grapes, honeysuckle, lemongrass and other liana-like plants do not need to be shaped. Lianas are a separate issue, but as for bushes, an unformed hedge, after planting, is still trimmed, but after 3-4 years of age it cannot be trimmed. It is more convenient to cut a hedge with a complex shape according to a template. A cutout of the required size is made in cardboard or chipboard.
Plantings subject to intensive pruning require systematic feeding. It is recommended to spread compost and mineral fertilizers in the crown projection in the fall. You can use special complex additives (for coniferous, deciduous).
When purchasing scissors or hedge trimmers, you should check the balance of the blades. Choose ones that are not too heavy and comfortable to hold in your hand.
Don't forget to keep an eye on your tools. After cutting, clean off plant juice and sharpen periodically. When storing, wipe with an oiled cloth.
Now you know everything about trimming hedges. Using these tips, your plantings will look healthy, well-groomed and densely growing.
Information for those who have a hedge and for those who want to properly trim separately growing shrubs. Description of working with improvised tools. Trimming hedges of spirea, boxwood, rosehip, hawthorn, etc.
Why do bushes need to be trimmed?Limiting growth is necessary to create density of branching and rejuvenation. Cutting off the upper shoots allows the sun to reach the lower parts of the branches, which has a beneficial effect on the growth and condition of the crop. Thanks to the haircut, the density of the fit increases, the functionality of the protection increases: it is not visible, it is not blown through, dust and dirt are better filtered.
Preparing tools for pruning bushes
Large hedges are easier to cut with electric shears/bush trimmers, gas trimmers, and also using measuring instruments. But many summer residents prefer ordinary pruning shears and garden shears. Let's look at how to work with available tools. What do you need to prepare? We list the most necessary equipment: Secateurs,
brush cutter,
scissors for cutting leaves (trellis),
fishing line (cord) to highlight boundaries,
hammer,
stakes,
ladder.
Getting ready to trim the hedge
Decide on the shape of the haircut. In any case, you need to take care of proportions and creating the right lines. For this you will need prepared equipment. First, drive stakes on all sides of your green area. The recess should be significant so that when pulling the rope the post does not sag; usually 30 cm is enough. If the length of the fence is significant, you need to install stakes at intervals of 1.5 m.Now we tighten the guide (fishing line, cord, twine, etc.). On high plantings it will be more convenient to work if the rope is stretched in two rows - the middle and top of the bush. The rope should not sag. You can immediately bury them in the crown and then cut off excess shoots along them.
On a neglected hedge, with heavy pruning (more than 10 cm), two stages will be required, so do not tighten the rope knot “tightly”. After the first adjustment, you will need to move the guide deeper into the crown and move on to the second stage - drawing lines.
If you have doubts about the eye gauge, check the distance from the ground to the guide with a tape measure in several places. As a result, the bush should be enclosed in a rectangular border with equal angles, sides and width.
Hedge trimming
Trimming always starts from the top. You should be comfortable, so if the height is too high, work with a ladder. The best option is to place the cutting tool at chest level, holding it horizontally. Your movement depends on the width of the planting. If the top blade is wider than 40 cm, the haircut is carried out on both sides. Having processed the top of one side, to complete the work, you need to move to the second.Removing protruding hair is a cosmetic step. Now you need to take care of the internal structure of the fence and work with hand pruners. Your task is to form “skeletal” branches, that is, cut off the shoots directed to the side and leave the crowns growing inward. This will ensure planting density during further growth.
When the procedure for forming the top level is completed, we move on to the sides. You have visual limitations and you work within them. The basic rule for trimming sidewalls is to move from the lower branches to the upper ones and create an even plane. To do this, you stand not facing the bush, but sideways. With this arrangement, the eye slides along the length of the fence, and you see the entire surface of the “wall”. The tool must be held vertically.
It is important to remember that in young plantings pruning is aimed at stimulating branching and only the end of the branch is removed - no more than a third of the annual growth. The depth of the haircut depends on the growth rate.
When to trim your hedges
A mature adult plant undergoes regular apical pruning. For deciduous plants, pruning is done throughout the summer. From the end of September - it is not carried out, since the plant must get stronger before the onset of frost.Fast-growing types of conifers and some types of junipers are pruned throughout the warm season at intervals of once every 8 weeks. Young hedges are trimmed every year. After the age of five, regularity depends on the growth rate of your plants. For slow growers, once every 2-3 years is enough. After each procedure, watering and fertilizing are required.