By: Gene Rodriguez, III
Pruning gardenias is a straightforward task that even beginning gardeners should be able to tackle. Gardenias are warm weather shrubs that feature deep green, glossy foliage and deeply fragrant white blooms. Getting gardenias into shape is a snap, so grab a pair of pruning shears and get started!
Successfully Pruning Gardenias
- Why prune? Before you start pruning gardenias, take a moment to understand why you're pruning. The primary goals of gardenia pruning are to maintain the size of the plant, to give it a neat appearance and to remove excess growth so the plant can focus its energy on foliage and bloom production.
- When to prune? The best time for pruning gardenias is in the late summer, after blooms have faded. Your gardenia bushes will begin forming next year's bloom in the fall, so you'll want to finish pruning before these new buds begin to appear. These slow-growing plants only need to be pruned every other year. More frequent pruning should only be required to remove damaged or diseased limbs.
- Sharp and clean. To properly prune your gardenias, you'll nee s sharp pair of pruning shears. For the cleanest cuts, make sure you use bypass shears that cut like a pair of scissors. Anvil shears (the kind with one blade and a flat cutting base) can crush stems, which can lead to disease.
- Start with the three "Ds." To begin pruning gardenias, first remove any dead, damaged or diseased limbs. Gardenias tend to have good natural form, and taking care of the three "Ds" may be all the pruning your plants need.
- A little goes a long way. Once you've cleared away unhealthy growth, you can prune your gardenias to the size and shape you have in mind. Use a light hand and step back often to check your progress. The good news it that unlike other flowering shrubs, gardenias flower on both old and new wood, making it hard to damage your plants.
