pruning study botany

Thinning

removing certain branches from a plant to open up the plant. This method is usually used when the horticulturist wishes to keep the natural shape of the plant.

Steps to thinning

Establishing a leader

Inward/criss-crossing branches

Remove suckers and water-shoots

Downward growing/low branches

Dead, damaged, diseased branches

Heading Back

The removal of the end section of the plant branches at the same height. This causes new shoots to develop from dormant buds, therefore making the plant thicker

renewal pruning

Old branches that are large and unproductive are removed. THe oldest branches are removed by cutting them back to ground level. This results in the development of new branches and better flowering on the new branches.

root pruning

an important step in transplantation of plants, involves cutting off all the lateral roots of the plant with a sharp spade in a circle around the stem.