F. 6- F. NURSERIES 
134 
P 
rumna 
y 
of SUL 
The fundamental principle of all pruning is to cut back any shrub 
just after its normal blooming season. This gives it a chance to 
produce new wood and new buds before the next blooming season. 
It is also necessary with most shrubs to encourage all shoots com¬ 
ing up from the base. Such new growth supplies the vigorous young 
wood, so prune old wood to the ground. 
There are a few exceptions to this rule, such as Lilac, Coralberry, 
Snowberry, Japanese Quince and Sorbaria, which produce good young 
shoots anywhere along the older branches. 
Pruning is injurious if improperly done. Branchlets and twigs should 
be cut with a sharp knife or pruning shears. Heavy branches may be 
removed with a pair of lopping shears, or a saw. Large wounds should 
be thoroughly covered with a good tree paint. Cut each branch or 
twig back to the next larger one so that no useless stub is left. 
Small branches or twigs should be cut just above a strong bud, if possible. 
Normally, excessive pruning when planting is unnecessary, if the 
shrubs have a good root system and the plants are fertilized and well 
cultivated after planting, but severe pruning is desirable with late 
spring planting after growth has commenced. 
Most shrubs need not be pruned back more than one-third. Such 
shrubs as Buddleia, Callicarpa, and Vitex will often die bock part way 
at least, when planted. They should be pruned to within 6 or 8 
inches of the ground. Heavy pruning at planting has one big advantage 
with shrubs that are inclined to be scraggly. It causes the development 
of a more compact specimen. . .. 
Shrubs which are grown mainly for their winter twig effect should 
be pruned just before growth starts, by cutting out all wood over a 
year old each spring. Those that are grown mostly for their foliage 
effect may also be pruned in the spring, except for the slow conservative 
growers, and they need only an occasional thinning out of the very 
old poorly placed branches. . 
Shrubs with ornamental fruits, as well as flowers, should not be 
pruned until the fruit has withered or gone, and then cut but spar¬ 
ingly, to preserve the following year's crop of flowers and fruits. 
I^ejuuencitincj Old +Shrubd 
Old shrubs which have not been pruned for a number of years may 
be completely pruned at one time, but will be unattractive for a sea¬ 
son or two It is advisable to cut about one-third of the oldest branches 
to the ground each season. In this way the shrub can be completely 
rejuvenated in a few years' time without any severe hardship to the 
shrub or to the landscape effect. 
planting, (Calendar j^or BJl 
Bulb 
Time to Plant 
Depth to Plant 
in Inches 
Calochortus 
November 
2-3 
Chionodoxa 
September—October 
3 
Colchicum 
Early August 
2 
Crocus 
August—September—October 
3-4 
Eranthis 
August 
3 
Erythronium 
September 
3-4 
Fritillaria 
September 
2-3 
Galanthus 
August 
2 
Hyacinth 
September 
6-7 
Iris (bulbous) 
September—October 
3-4 
Leucojum 
September—October 
4-5 
Lilium auratum 
November—December 
10-12 
Lilium batemannioe 
November 
6 
Lilium candidum 
August—September 
2-3 
Lilium canadense 
November 
10 
Lilium chalcedonicum 
October—November 
4 
Lilium elegans 
November 
5 
Lilium hansoni 
November 
6 
Lilium henryi 
November—December 
10 
Lilium martagon 
October—November 
4 
Lilium regale 
November 
8 
Lilium speciosum 
November—December 
10 
Lilium superbum 
November 
5 
Lilium tenuifolium 
October—November 
4 
Lilium tigrinum 
Muscari 
November 
9 
September—October 
2-3 
Narcissus 
September 
4-8 
Ornithogalum 
September 
2-3 
Sc i 1 la 
September—October 
2-3 
Tulip 
October—November 
5-6 
