Why prune at all?

There are two basic reasons for pruning woody plants. A selective post-plating and training cut assists young trees and bushes in taking root after having been planted and also to develop sturdy, richly-fruiting branches.

The pruning process prevents faulty development and ageing. The second type of pruning is the shaping cut, where the human desire for creativity is clearly evident.

We want healthy, richly blossoming and fruiting plants to grow in our garden. Clever intervention with good quality secateurs or saws ensures that the vitality of woody plants is fully maintained. WOLF cutting implements are particularly good and have been developed and thoroughly tested to match the needs of both user and plant.

With most of the pruning we do, we remove the outer shoots of the particular plant. Properly pruned, the plant’s flow of energy can be steered, with you determining the direction in accordance with where you apply the cut. The dormant bud (this is the name usually given to the inconspicuous bud for the new shoot), closest to the pruning position is the one which sprouts. Sometimes there are several buds that develop after a branch or twig has been pruned, in which case the plant becomes bushier. Thus you can guide your plants’ growth. For all plants the same rule applies that the pruning wound should be kept as small as possible and angled away from the bud. The distance to the bud or to the next forked branch must be kept short; if stumps are left, this will attract harmful organisms. Remember that notwithstanding the general rules, the various species of plant do react differently.

With all pruning jobs, cleanliness is of utmost importance. The cut must be smooth and have clean edges. With their sharp, anti-stick coated blades, WOLF secateurs guarantee a precision cut. Ragged-cut wounds provide an ideal entry for parasitic fungus and disease. In the event of contagious bacterial or viral disease having infected wood which requires pruning, it is advisable to disinfect the pruner blades in a garden disinfectant prior to pruning other plants, so as to avoid cross-infection. All dead and diseased branches and trees must be completely pruned away and preferably burnt. The diseased wood is easily distinguishable from healthy wood, particularly in summer and can be removed without any problem.