Why pruning matters
- Encourages healthy growth.
- Improves flowering and fruit production.
- Removes dead, diseased or dangerous branches.
- Controls size and shape.
- Prevents pests and disease.
When to prune
- Winter, formative pruning: deciduous trees and non-flowering shrubs.
- Late summer or autumn, clean-up pruning: dead or diseased branches.
- Spring, flowering pruning: seasonal flowering shrubs, after they bloom.
- Summer, maintenance pruning: light, to keep growth in check.
You'll find the detail plant by plant in when to prune each plant.
Types of pruning
- Formative: shapes the tree or shrub from a young age.
- Maintenance: regular, to control size.
- Rejuvenation: on old plants, large sections are cut back so they regrow.
- Flowering: to get more flowers.
- Clean-up: dead, diseased or crossing branches.
Which plants to prune
Fruit trees like almond, orange and olive, very common in Tarragona. Ornamental shrubs like box, lavender, roses or santolina. Climbers like bougainvillea or jasmine. And shade or ornamental trees. Each has its own timing and technique.
Tools
- Secateurs, hand-held or long-handled.
- Pruning saw.
- Gloves and safety glasses.
- Wound sealant for thick branches.
- A safe ladder if you're working at height.
Not confident? We do pruning at height, fruit trees, palms and hedges with safety equipment. Emergencies too, for dangerous branches or leaning trees.
Frequently asked questions
How much can you cut back in one pruning?
As a rule, no more than a third of the crown at once. If it needs cutting back a lot, it's better to spread it over several years.
Do you need wound sealant?
On cuts to thick branches, yes, it helps protect them. On thin branches it isn't needed if the cut is clean.
