Should I prune the leggy branches of a rose?
Article Summary: An introduction to the related knowledge of green plants and flowers about whether to prune the leggy branches of a rose, the following is a detailed introduction for you.
Yesterday, I answered the question of why it is necessary to prune spent flowers in time. Following yesterday's topic, today let's talk about why we need to prune leggy branches.
One, what are leggy branches?
Leggy branches are annual branches that grow too vigorously but are not fully developed. They are mainly characterized by upright branches, long internodes, large and thin leaves, and underdeveloped buds.
Two, why should we prune leggy branches? In most cases, we need to prune leggy branches. If left unpruned, potted plants may have the following two problems.
1. Destroying the overall plant shape
Leggy branches tend to grow beyond the original shape of the potted plant due to their vigorous growth, which can destroy the overall shape of the potted plant. In the picture above, the rhododendron clearly shows that some branches have grown too long, which is because the new branches were not topped in time and leggy growth occurred.
2. Consuming a large amount of nutrients
Looking at the picture above of the jasmine, the branches have grown leggy and are not flowering. This type of leggy branch, due to its very vigorous growth, will consume a lot of nutrients. Most of the nutrients of the plant are consumed by the leggy branches, while the real flowering branches, due to limited nutrient allocation, ultimately fail to bloom.
Based on the above two impacts, for leggy branches, we generally take the approach of topping them in a timely manner. Some leggy branches that sprout at the bottom are even completely cut off. However, it is not necessary to prune all leggy branches completely. Sometimes, we can also use leggy branches for plant updates and shape adjustments.
Three, the use of leggy branches
Should I prune the leggy branches of a rose?
For some potted plants that are prone to aging, such as roses, the strong suckers that grow can also be considered leggy branches. We can use such branches for plant updates.
When the original branches are all thin and weak, if there is a thick leggy branch, it might be a good idea to keep it for plant updating. In winter, pruning and shaping can result in a robust new rose plant. For specific methods of shaping, you can refer to the book "How to Grow a Bursting Rose from Scratch," and I will not elaborate further here.
For other potted plant varieties, we can also use leggy branches to compensate for and expand the plant's canopy. For example, the rhododendron in the following picture.
Although the branch that grew from the bottom is leggy, we can control the height of the leggy branch by topping it in time and promote new branching at the branching position. This way, the canopy of this rhododendron can increase significantly.
We can also use leggy branches to easily achieve special shapes for potted plants, such as the棒棒糖 (candy cane) shape.
This type of leggy branches of the flowering quince can be pruned by cutting off the thin branches at the bottom and then cutting off the top of the leggy branch. Finally, tie the branches straight with the main stem. After regrowing, it will become a flowering quince candy cane.
The same principle applies; if the original flowering quince has a branch that is particularly long, we can also use aerial layering to easily obtain a candy cane-shaped flowering quince potted plant.
So when should leggy branches be topped? When can aerial layering be used to create a candy cane shape? Do you also have various questions about gardening that no one answers? Welcome to join the Green Plant Enthusiasts Circle.
The above is a comprehensive introduction to [www.lvzhimi.com] about whether to prune the leggy branches of a rose, hoping to bring some knowledge of green plants to green plant enthusiasts.