Flowers are the highlights of the landscaping of every coastal Caribbean home. Some of those flowers, blooming bright with pigment, come from faraway places such as the Netherlands, England, France, and even Spain. To maintain the beautiful blossoms in your own yard, you need to find the most effective way to prune your flowers and increase their permanence.
Heading
You should expect your flowers to bloom and stand upright, but if you come across some plants that have wilted, they might be dragging down the buds and full blooms. To prevent this from happening, pull out any dead weeds and flowers to force the growth and stabilization of the flowers.
If the plant has multiple heads, cut below the healthy flowers to create room for new flowers. If it’s a singular stem with one flower, you’re free to cut closer to the base of the flower. Doing either of these will improve the life of your flowers. This will be healthy for annuals, as they’ll grow longer into the year, and your perennials will be ready for the following season.
Thinning
The most effective way to prune your plants is to thin them out. By that, we mean pulling out any plants that might be harboring unwanted diseases, especially if they’re imported from other places. By thinning, you remove up to a third of stems, preventing overcrowded areas of dying foliage and better shaping your landscape. If a plant is intruding on other plants’ space in a separate bed, all you need to do is cut around the stems to keep that intruding plant situated.
Pruning
Pruning your plants is a healthier alternative to simply pulling out any unwanted plants and foliage that has died off. You might think it’s okay to prune year-round. However, pruning at particular times of the year—and only a little at a time—can be beneficial for your plants’ life span. You want to do a little at a time and work from the inside out. If you accidentally chop off too much, you run the risk of preventing your fruits from growing, and your bushes may not bloom for a while. There’s even a chance they’ll die and not bloom again. So, groom your plants once in a while, and pamper them when they need it the most.
Before you start pruning, consider what kind of trimming tools you’ll need to achieve the desired look for your flower bed. With precisely the right types of trimming tools, you’ll be able to achieve the necessary practice to cut your plants.