TINO: Many of the plants growing in your garden
at some stage are going to need a prune.
Now, while going all Edward Scissorhands on your plants
might sound scary
if done correctly, they'll love you for it.
Correct pruning promotes long-term growth.
It's the way we shape our plants
as well as an opportunity to remove any dead or diseased wood.
This occurs naturally in the wild
through fire, wind, frost and animals.
And by following a few simple rules,
you can achieve the same results in your own garden
with no fear of damage.
There's a range of pruning tools that you can have in your kit,
but for most gardeners,
the most versatile would have to be the bypass secateurs.
But you've also got pole pruners, saws,
loppers, shears
and even snips.
Whatever you're using, the number one rule is to keep it clean and sharp.
Sharp tools make clean cuts and dirty ones spread disease.
Blades that are blunt allow surface breaks.
Check out the Gardening Australia website for sharpening tips
using a diamond stone,
and always spray metho on your blades between plants.
And it's a good idea to clean your toes after use
with warm, soapy water.
So, when do you give your plants that haircut?
Well, it depends on the plant.
The general rule is prune after flowering and fruiting.
That way you won't be interrupting the growth cycle.
In many cases, the plants will have plenty of time to recover.
But if you've got any dead or diseased wood,
well, take that out straightaway.
It doesn't matter what time of the year it is.
If you need a bit of a practice run before going in for the big chop,
start with deadheading.
This is just removing old or dead flowers.
It can be done regularly with annuals and herbs,
and you just need a pair of snips, scissors
or even your thumb and forefinger.
And always remember to cut just above a node.
A plant's node is simply the part
where the leaf connects to the main stem.
It's the bit where the new growth springs from.
Plants generate a hormone in their tips, in their terminal buds,
so by removing it, what we're doing
is sending a message down the stem
to tell the plant to grow out of some of those lower nodes.
This is called tip pruning,
and by doing this, we end up with a bushier, more compact plant.
Pruning dense shrubs with smaller tools like secateurs
will take you forever.
So go in for the big guns and use shears
or even an electric hedge trimmer.
Now, because bushy plants have nodes closer together,
you'll achieve the shape you want without having to be too fiddly.
My mentor Peter Cundall is the master
of what is called the hard prune.
The tree is sighing with relief.
And that's only stage one.
This is where a lot, if not most of the plants growth, is removed.
This rose, although it's re-shot,
you can start to see how hard it was cut back last season.
It may seem drastic, but certain species respond really well to it,
especially herbaceous perennials and grasses.
If you're a bit worried about how to prune,
go and see your local nursery.
But don't worry too much if you go overboard -
your plant will come back,
it may just be a bit slower.
Fruit trees like this olive require good airflow
to stay healthy and productive,
so an annual prune is essential to keep them looking good
and their yields high.
I'm thinning out the young internal growth
to allow more sun and air into the middle of the tree.
Young and establishing trees shouldn't really need much off,
but older trees with established root zones
can cope with a harder prune.
How your tree responds
will depend on what time of the year you prune it.
For example, deciduous trees when pruned over the winter
will respond with a flush of growth in the following spring,
whereas if pruned after fruiting in the summer,
they'll respond in the following spring
with a flush of more flowers and therefore more fruit.
Loppers and bypass secateurs have a hook on one side
and a blade on the other.
When you're pruning, it's a good idea to keep the blade
on the tree side.
If you keep the hook on the tree side,
the hook can bruise the living tissue.
So remember, not that way, but that way.
It can be a good idea to consult an arborist
if you're dealing with a large tree.
They can be dangerous.
Pruning is both relaxing for you
and it can be very beneficial for your garden.
It's a good idea to research when and how to prune
your specific plant,
But all you've got to do is get your tools out,
make sure they're clean, of course,
sharpen them off, and get snipping.