Camellia Pruning Methods
For netizens to elaborate on common flower cultivation knowledge, including the planting content of Camellias, pruning methods, and the following will introduce them together.
Regarding the pruning of Camellias, as they grow relatively slowly, most articles on Camellia planting techniques suggest minimal or no pruning. However, this statement is not entirely correct, as the development of modern agricultural technology has somewhat increased the growth rate of Camellias, and different varieties have significantly different shapes. Without pruning, it is difficult to form a beautiful canopy, which will greatly reduce their ornamental value.
Based on my years of practical experience in growing Camellias, I summarize the pruning techniques as follows:
I. The Role of Camellia Pruning Before introducing pruning techniques, it is essential to understand the significance of pruning, which mainly has two points:
1. Improve the shape and crown, enhancing ornamental value.
2. Remove weak branches, retain strong branches, promote new growth, and improve plant vitality. Many friends have修剪red randomly without understanding the role of Camellia pruning, and the consequences are predictable!
II. Pruning Techniques Based on the two roles of Camellia pruning and the characteristics of different varieties, different pruning methods should be used:
1. For fast-growing, upright varieties such as "Honglu Zhen," "Dongfang Liang," and "Da Zhusha," a "shortening" method should be used to prune about 1/3 of the height from the top and remove the weak branches that block light from the root. Faster-growing ones should be pruned lower, and slower-growing ones should be pruned less. After pruning, these varieties should have about 1/3 to 1/2 of their leaves removed. Pruning in this way will significantly increase the growth rate of the Camellias the following year and form a beautiful canopy.
2. For varieties with average growth and slow growth but good natural shapes, such as "Shiba Xueshi," "Yuanlang Fengkou," "Baitian E," and "Sai Mudan," only the fast-growing and unsightly branches need to be shortened to maintain uniform length with other branches. Diseased and weak branches should be removed, and the healthy branches that have not been pruned should have their top buds or flower buds removed to promote branching and maintain consistent growth with pruned branches.
3. For varieties with soft branches, large canopies, and insufficient height, such as "Wuse Camellia," the lateral branches below the main stem's branching point should be pruned, and the canopy should be reduced in size.
III. The Best Time for Camellia Pruning Generally, it is best to prune about one month before the new buds sprout. In southern regions such as Fujian, Jiangxi, Yunnan, and northern Guangdong, pruning can be done about 20 days before the Spring Festival (around mid-January in the solar calendar). In low-altitude areas of the Yangtze River Valley, pruning can be done around the Spring Festival. Whether in the south or the Yangtze River Valley, pruning should not be done too early or too late. Pruning too early in cold weather can easily freeze the plants, and pruning too late, if the new Camellia buds have already sprouted, will consume a lot of nutrients and severely affect growth that year.
IV. Precautions
1. After pruning and before new buds sprout, it is best to apply a compound fertilizer with a nitrogenous focus and spray a foliar fertilizer when new buds start to grow, which can make spring sprouting more vigorous.
2. If Camellias are planted in the ground and conditions allow, before pruning, during the warm "small spring" season (around November in the solar calendar), a circle should be made around the main stem with a diameter about 12 times the diameter of the Camellia's main stem base, and the lateral roots should be cut to promote more new roots for better growth the following year. Note that this method is only suitable for regions in the south with warmer winter temperatures.
The introduction above () provides a detailed explanation of Camellia pruning methods, do you understand now?