Cochise County MasterGardener Garden Basics: Pruning · when winter came. I had gotten some lovely roses, but each one had cost me about an hour of my life and four or five dollars,

VOL. 9, NO. 2 The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension FEBRUARY 1998

Cochise County Master Gardener

The University of Arizona and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooDeratina.

Garden Basics:

Pruning

Now that your garden toolsare sharpened, cleaned, andready, it's time to prune. Rosesare pruned differently from fruittrees; fhiit trees are pruned differently from shrubs and shadetrees, and then there are vines,brambles, and hedges.

There are four primary objectives for pruning: improvingappearance, directing growth,maintaining health, and increasing yields of fhiit or flowers. Afellow master gardener oncesaid to me, "Pruning is for humans, thinning is for plants."The more I garden, the more Iunderstand this statement.

Shrubs and trees in the wild do

fine without the human touch.

Pruning is done by Mother Nature with wind, fire, and otherforces ofher touch.

The basic needs of ornamental

shrubs and shade trees are rou

tine thinning of dead, damaged,or diseased wood, branches thatcross and rub against eachother, and suckers. This type of

pruning does not stimulate excessive new top growth orchange the natural appearanceor growth habit. On die otherhand, as hiunans we like thingspleasing to the eye and prune toopen up a canopy, encourage

See back page of thisnewsletter for informa

tion on an upcomingpruning demonstration.

dense growth, or to attain a formal appearance. In the worstcase scenario, continual pruningto keep a plant in bounds usually means that a plant wasplaced in an area too small forit. Knowing the growth patternof a plant (the sh^ and maturesize) will ensure planting theright plant in the ri^t place andaid in training the plant towardsit's natural form.

Quirky, interesting form andcharacter is v^iiat gives our native plants their beauty. For example, Texas rangers naturallygrow loose forms-wild andrangy and bloom on new year'sgrowth. Assaulting it byshearing it into hedges and balls

weakens it, reduces the flowerdisplay, and ultimately takesaway it's dignity. A better approach to pruning rangers is tothin out older, woody branchesto channel growth back into theplant and selectively pinchingback stems at various lengths toencourage lush growth whilekeeping it's natural, beautifulform.

(continued on next page)

De4€/it

The Fifth

Annual

High DesertGardening& Land

scapingConference,is rightaround the

comer-

February12-14!!!

Registerright away!

Cochise County Cooperative Extension1140 N. Colombo, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635(520) 458-8278, Ert 141

450 Haskell, WUIcox, AZ 85643(520) 384-3594

Pruning in the right seasonis important. Flowering plants do so <»either new or old growth. Knowingwhich sort of growth your plantbears flowers will determine when

to prune. Spring flowering plantsbloom on last season's growth (lilacs and redbuds for instance) andshould be pruned after flowering.Growth made after flowering willproduce next year's buds. Summerand ^1 blooming plants (such asbutterfly bush and crepe myrtle)flower on current season's growthand should be pruned during thedormant season without sacrifice tonext year's blooms. Some plantsbloom repeatedly (including roses,butterfly bush and verbena) andcan be lightly pruned (often calleddeadheading) after each flush ofbloom to encourage more flowers.Evergreens are usuallypruned during the dormant season. Pruning isboth an art and a skill.

Through trial and error I haveformd that the best approach tobeautifully shaped flora is research, research, research, attending pruning demonstrations, andpractice, practice, practice.

Cheri Melton

Master Gardener/Staff Writer

Cuttings"N"

Clippings• The Cochise County MasterGaid^ers Association will beholding its monthly meetings (thefirst Wednesday at 5:00 pm) at theMcMia Bishop room of the Sierra'Vista Library during 1998. Pleasemake a note of this change!

Page 2

Give your back abreak, sow seeds with

a pipe

Backaches can occur fi-om toomuch bending and stooping whileplanting. To give your back abreak, try using a 3-foot sectionof PVC pipe with a steep-angledhole at one end, then insert it intothe ground and simply drop theseed from the other end. Cover theseeds with a hoe or rake andthat's it-you're done. (And youdidn't even have to bendonce!)

•Gardening by the Yard

Are You Short

On Space?

Are you short on space for yourvegetable garden? You may wantto consider a planting techniquecalled intercropping. It has b^nproven scientifically that, in mostcases, the traditional method ofplanting crops close together inwidely spaced rows is inefficient.Within the rows, each plant competes for the same resources (light,nutrients, and moisture), whileweeds thrive between the rows.

The amountof spacea plant requires can vary significantly. Forexample, cauliflower requires alarger "circle" (with die cauliflowerbeing at the carter) than lettuce.You can take advantage of this &ctby spacing plants in staggered rowswith equidistant spacing in bothdirections. In other words, theamountof space between the plantsin each row is equal to the amoimtof space between the rows themselves. Thus, the "circle" of eachplant barely overliqrs the circle ofanother plant.

Intercropping is designed tomaximize ffie space available.Since some plants grow moreslowly, they won't occupy their"circle" for a couple of months.During this time, you can plantfaster-growing plants next to oraround the slower-growing ones.The former plants will be harvestedbefore the latter plants mature. Forexample, plant garden cress aroundyoung cabbage. The cress, which is&st growing, can be cut a coupleof times before you must remove itto allow more space for thecabbage.

Undercropping is a variation ofintercropping. Upright or tall crops(such as sweet com) are combinedwith ground-hugging or low-growing plants (e.g., lettuce or cucumber). Anotherexample involvescombining climbing plants such asrunner beans with fest-growing lettuce. The beans are grown on canesthat are placed in a pyramid shape.

Although intercropping is an economic way to use the soil, be careful not to go overboard. Eachcropmust have adequate resources togrow properly. Since all plants arespaced relatively close together,thereby placing a high demand onthe soil, be sure to provide sufficient nutrients, water, and mulch.There are many crops that you cancombiiK, just be sure your plantsare compatible.Source: The Salad Garden (JoyLarcom).

Karen C. BrownMaster Gardener Trainee

Newsletter Staff:

CarolynGmenhagenCheri Melton

Virginia Westphal

-ZUfMRobert E. Call,Extension Agent, Horticulture

Page 3

A Case

AgainstRoses

in the

Desert

I just celebrated my fifthanniversary of

coming to Arizona, and my fourthin my present home. It's amazinghow the thing that attracts you atfirst is the thing that drives youcrazy after a while. That's the wayit is with me...and the roses. Wesaw the house in October and theroses were stunning. Bright pinkand dark red grandifloras, coraland pink floribundas, white andyellow teas... over a dozen in all. Itwas heavenly! We moved in overThanksgiving. The previous ownerhad thoughtfuUy pruned the rosesfor us. I should have taken it as anomen that the short, ugly, thornysticks were laying in wait for me.

I knew there would be pruning,I'd had roses before in east Texas.

But anyone who can't grow niceroses in east Texas has no businesshaving anything but gravel in theiryard—^they have a brown thumb! Iwas filled with the enthusiasm of anew home owner. I had not yetleamed about the importance oflow water use and native plants asthe mainstay of a sou^westemgarden.

Spring came, and the tender redfoliage was lovely. I was elated.Then came the aphids. No problem,I'd defeated meaner pests before.Bring out the insecticidal soap!These were hardier than thosewimpy Texas aphids, but I prevailed at last. Then came the heatof summer. The amount of waterrequired to just keep them alive

Mulch Available at Fort Huachuca

Fort Huachuca sells mulch to the general public as a by-product offorestry operations. Contact John Miller at (520) 533-3315 to makearrangements if you would like to buy some. There is a nominal fee perpickup truck load—you load your truck. To get on post, you will needregistration and proof of insurance for the vehicle, unless it has a fortdecal.

This mulch is usually fresh, coarse chipped wood and should be usedas landscape or surface mulch, not as an organic component for soilammendment (it will scavenge nitrogen if used as soil ammendment). Asa sur&ce mulch, this is excellent stuffto help retain moisture in the soil.Mr. Miller is very picky about his mulch, and ensures that nothorny materials or poisonous plants are chipped at the storage site. He also suggests that to make loading the product easier on you, bring a spade foikand large plastic trash can as tools.

was amazing, and then the damthings wouldn't bloom. Six weeksof pitiful, near wilted, thorny, rose-less bushes. The love afiair wasstarting to wilt as well.

The weather cooled with themonsoons. Finally, 1 thought, I'llhave lovely roses again. But it wasnot to be. The double whammystruck. Powdery mildew and blackspot had come to visit. I couldn'tsee how big their suitcases werethen, but now I know they wantedto move in for good. I work in theenvironmental business and knowthe potential horrors of engineeredfungicides in residential areas.Many of these products are terato-gens and mutagens. Despite thefact that I didn't know my neighbors well, I would not take thechance of damaging them or theirchildren by using such products inclose residential quarters. So I Bor-deau'ed and Safer'ed my waythrough the fall. The par^hemaliawas amazing. I tried several typesof sprayers and permanently clogged them with the muck that formsin the bott(Hn when using sulfurbased products. I was relievedwhen winter came. I had gottensome lovely roses, but each onehad cost me about an hour of my

life and four or five dollars, or so itfelt.

The first winter that the roseswere ours, my husband prunedthem. Since then it has been a jointeffort. It always reminds me of myDad's thoughts on lawns. He says,"I have to wonder about peoplewho water and fertilize a crop sothey can harvest it several times ayear in order to throw it away."I'm beginning to feel that wayabout my roses. I have developedan allergy to rose thorns. My handsswell, turn red and hurt. I have alsodeveloped a Laissez-Faire management philosophy. I still spray whenthe aphids are really bad, but I prefer to hope that beneficial insectswill see the restaurant sign. I supplement the water a bit during theheat, but probably not enough because they always burst forth withan amazing bloom of mildew andblack spot when it finally rains. Ispray sulfur fungicide after I'vepruned in the winter, but that'sabout it. If I had more time and en

ergy, I'd rip out all but two and replace them with salvias andlavenders. Anyone want someroses?

Gretchen Kent

Master Gardener Trainee

The Agent'sObservationsThe time is fast approaching

when dormant pnuung and trainingof ornamental shrubs, roses, shadetrees, evergreens, fhiit trees,grapes, and brambles should becompleted. Annual pruning is doneto keep plant material producingyoung growth where production offlowers and fruit are wanted.GeneraUy finit is prduced on atleast one year old wood (as is thecase of peaches, grapes, andbrambles) or two year or olderwood (as is the case with applesand pears). Dormant pruning isbest when completed before budsswell and open. However, pruningcan be done through the floweringof fruit trees although competitionwith honey bees may be painful!Gr^ may be pruned until smallleaves are present, though they willbleed, but that is not damaging tothe plant. Brambles and roses canalso be pruned when small leavesare present. Generally pruning offlowering ornamental shrubs isdone when flowers are spent.Deciduous shade trees (those that

Terminal shoot

Lateral shoot

ScafTold branch

Trunk

Crown suckers

Root suckers

Centralleader

Fruit spur

Water sproutsCrotch angle

Branch bark collarCrown

lose their leaves in the winter) andconifers arepruned when dormant.Evergreen shrubs can be prunedduring early spring.

The first rule of pruning is toremove any dead, diseased, broken,rubbing, or parallel branches. Aparallel branch is one directlyabove or below the desired branchand shades itoutor is shaded itself.Also, remove any root suckers,water sprouts, or branchespositioned low on the trunk. Whenmaking cuts do not cut through thebranch collar. Cutting through thecollar will cause poor healing andencourage disease (see illustrations). Generally pruning sealer orpaint is not needed for mostpruning cuts. In some cases,typically ornamentals, thesecompounds can aid in decreasingdesication and disease, especially iflarge cuts are made. One exampleis fhiitless mulberry which issusceptible to sooty canker disease.

The most critical time to trainfruit trees is during the first threeyears from planting. The firstdormant season select three to fivelimbs that are well spaced aroundthe tree, with the lowest branchabout two feet from the ground.This is the first whorl of scaffoldbranches and should also be wellspaced up the tree trunk betweentwo and four feet from the ground.Branches should be spread fromthe main trunk at a 50 degreeangle using spreader sticks, ties,or weights. This will encouragegood tree structure andearly fhiiting. When aone-year-old shoot is tipped, moregrowth will occur. However, ifcuts are made intotwo-year-old orolder wood, r^rowth is muchless. Thinning cuts are made at the

base of shoots to remove th^ctmipletely from a branch.

Apple trees are trained andpruned into a central leader,forming a tree that is pyramidal inshape. Peach, nectarine, sourcherry, and Japanese plum aretrained and pruned as anopen-center tree which looks like awine glass. Pear, apricot, Europeanplum, and sweet cherry are trainedand pruned as a modified centralleader, which is similar to a centralleader tree, but the top ofthe leaderof the tree is pruned back toencourage regrowA.

<011AJ

IIANCM lAlK

liOCI

Hard woods

natural pruning steps

1. Locate the branch bark ridge2. Find Target A - outside of branch bark

ridge3. Find Target B- swelling where branch

meets branch collar4. IfBis hard to find - drop a line at AX.

Angle XAC = to angle XAB5. Stub branch to be pruned6. Make cut at line AB

Mature neglected trees that needrenovating are not just a one yearproject but will take several yearsto correct. Halfthe wood ofa

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' Ieq ^jportunity eix^loyer authorized to provide research, education^information CounUes coqjerating. The University ofArizona College ofAgriculture is an

IIAIKM

COtlAl

4f>h' tic J)c4e/iXConference Registration

Date

Name

Address_

City ZipState

Telephone_

Full Conference S60.00(After January 31 $70.00)

One Day $40.00(After January 31 $45.00)

Amount Enclosed

(No refunds after Februaiy 6, 1998)

Please make check payable to:Cochise County Master Gardeners AssociationMail to:Cochise County Master Gardeners Association1140 N. Colombo

Sierra Vista, AZ 85635

To help with our planning, indicate preferencefor each session;

A A A A A A

B B B B B B

C C C C C C

^1 would like to attend Saturday Tour (circle 1)

A B

Look for the new commemorative T-shirts!

For information call:

The U. ofA. Cooperative Extension OfficeSierra Vista, AZ (520) 458-8278, Ext. 141

( ^

1998 Conference Program

Thursday, February 12

7:30 - 8:45 am Registration and Breakfast

^ 8:45 - 9:00 am Welcome9:00 - 10:15 am General Session

Ted Hodoba, Author, Growing Desert Plants FromWindowsilis to Gardens, past president of Native PlantSociety of New Mexico, and owner of Desert MoonNurseiy, Veguita, NMLandscape Plantsfor High Deserts

10:30 - 11:45 am General Session

Robert Smith, Ph.D., Author, Venomous Animals ofArizona, Associate Professor, Entomology, TheUniversity of Arizona, College of AgricultureVenomous Animals ofArizona

11:45 - 12:00 pm Exhibits

12:00 - 1:30 pm Lunch, Door Prizes & Exhibits

1:45 -2:45 pm Session IA. Rob Call, Backyard Tree Fruit Production *B. Rob Grumbles, Joshua Trees and Other AgavesC. Lucy Bradley, School Gardens: A Place to Grow

3:00 - 4:00 pm Session 11A. Carolyn Chard, Square Foot Vegetable

Gardening*B. Baib Skye, Xeriscape PrinciplesC. Carl Jones, Urban Tree Management and Care

4:15- 5:15 pm Session IIIA. Sherri Wooldridge, Creative Flower Arranging*B. Jim Koweek, Do-Your-Own LandscapeC. Glenn Minuth, Microclimatesfor Gardening

Friday, February 13

7:30 - 8:45 am Registration and Breakfast

8:45 - 9:00 am Welcome

9:00 - 10:15 am General Session

Sheri Williamson, Naturalist/Biologist, SoutheasternArizona Bird Observatory, Bisbee, AZWildlifeFriendly Landscapingfor the Southwest

10:30 - 11:45 am General Session

Tom Thonq)son, Ph.D., Associate Professor, TheUniversity of Arizona, College of AgricultureNitrogen: What, Where, and Why

11:45 - 12:00 pm Exhibits

12:00 - 1:30 pm Lunch, Door Prizes & Exhibits

1:45 -2:45 pm Session IVA. DonBreckenfeld,B. Terry Mikel, The Origins ofPlant NamesC. David Christiani, Landscape Design Principles

3:00 - 4:00 pm Session VA. John Begeman, Raised Bed Gardening*B. Tom DeGomez, Landscape Treesfor Elevations

Above 4,000Feet

C. David Kopek, Ph.D., Buffalograss: It's Now orNever

4:15 - 5:15 pm Session VIA. Mary Olsen, Ph.D., Plant Diseases*B. A1 Buhl, Growing Wine GrapesC. Peter Gierlach, How I Got Rich Growing Native

Plants

5:30 - 7:00 pm Reception

Saturday, February 14A. Ft. Huachuca*s Historic Trees Tour~9:00 am

B. San Pedro Riparian Tour~9:00 am

^Denotes Basic Gardening SessionNOTE: ALL SPEAKERS AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

t

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

TUCSON, ARIZONA 85721s

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300

peach, nectarine, or Japanese plumcan be removed in one year. One-third of the wood per year for apple, cherry, apricot, and Europeanplum. Remove only one-tenth ofthe wood per year ofpear to reducevigorous regrowth which is susceptible to a bacterial disease called

fire blight.For further information on prun

ing plan to attend the fiwt and nuttree demo on Saturday, February14 (see flier in this newsletter) orcontact the Cooperative ExtensionofBce.

Robert E. Call

Extension Agent, Horticulture

Everyone is welcome toattend the free pruning

demonstration!

BULK RATE

POSTAGE & FEES PAH)

USDA

PERMIT No. G268

& 7S)u+

V^\^{av\\v\q DemoApplePear

CherryPlum

Peach

Nectarine

Pecan

Walnut

Pistachio

Saturday, Februaiy 14,19989:(K) am

1534 Apache Point, Hereford(Tiun West on Ramsey Canyon Road, turn left at Richard Road andturn right on Apache Point Road, proceeding for 1/2 mile to #1534)

Demonstration given byRobert E. Call

Extension Agent, Cochise Coimty

J