Around the Year with the 

 Pruning Shears 



Seasonable Work That Will Keep the Place Ship- 

 shape and Give Better Fruits and Flowers 



THE following brief suggestions or "reminders" are meant 

 merely as hints to show you what to look for from month 

 to month to do with your pruning shears. Directions for the 

 work have already been given in the preceding chapters. 



January-February: Winter or dormant pruning of fruit trees 

 and large trees, especially removing dead and surplus wood, and 

 reforming over-grown tops. Currants, gooseberries and grapes. 



MARCH: Any of the above; grapes before sap starts. Shrubs and 

 vines that flower on current year's growth. Hybrid perpetual and 

 Rugosa roses. 



APRIL: Any of the above except grapes. Hybrid teas and tea 

 roses, as soon as the buds start. 



MAY: Cut out winter-killed wood of all kinds. Prune earliest 

 flowering shrubs as soon as they go by. 



JUNE: Early flowering shrubs as soon as they go by. Keep un- 

 desirable new growth on young grapes and fruit trees rubbed off. 



Head in and shape young growing trees. 



Head in and guide, as necessary, trained fruits. 



Pinch in the evergreens to get symmetrical development. 



Trim or shear hedges, and formal-shaped shrubs and trees. 



Cut or pinch back annuals and perennials to get more branching 

 plants, or second growth. 



Thin or disbud annuals and perennials to get larger flowers. 



JULY- AUGUST: Any of the above. 



Also prune hardy climbing roses when through flowering. 



Cane Fruits when through bearing. 



SEPTEMBER: As above. 



Also head in strong new growth on both fruits and ornamentals, 

 to induce better "ripening up" of the wood before winter. 



October: Get ready for winter; cut back rampant growths of 

 canes, fruits, roses, etc. 



November-December: Winter or dormant pruning, especially of 

 fruit trees, late flowering shrubs, etc. 



43 



