Which month is the best time to prune osmanthus?

Osmanthus is one of the ten traditional famous flowers in China. It has small, golden-yellow flowers and a strong fragrance. It is a favorite flower planted in parks and home courtyards. So which month is the best time to prune osmanthus plants? Let’s learn more about it below.

Which month is the best time to prune osmanthus?

Osmanthus trees can be pruned all year round. If major pruning is required, it is best to do it in January and February. This period is the dormant period of the osmanthus tree, and pruning at this time will cause the least damage to the tree.

Methods of pruning osmanthus

1. Shorten

It is best to prune during the seedling period or the growing season. During the seedling period, when the plant grows to a height of 80 cm, the top branches should be cut short. During the growth period, the perennial thick branches should be shortened, and then the excessively long branches, overly dense branches, dead branches, and rotten branches should be cut off in time to ensure the concentration of nutrients.

2. Shrinkage

Shortening mainly involves shortening the branches, pruning from top to bottom on the thick branches, changing the direction of branch extension, and then adjusting the direction of other branches. Heavy pruning is done on strong branches, and light pruning is done on weak branches. Generally, one-third of the branches are cut off to ensure that the growth of the plant remains balanced.

3. Comb and scissors

Combing and pruning are mainly done from the base of the branches. All the densely growing branches should be cut off, then wax should be applied to the wound, sealed with plastic film, and then other branches should be combed out in time. The overgrown branches should also be appropriately shortened to promote the growth and development of the plant.

4. Pruning after flowering

After the flowers bloom, it is the stage when osmanthus grows branches. This is the most appropriate time to prune. Regardless of the variety of osmanthus, the pruning method is to completely cut off the thin branches and diseased branches. If the main branch is too long, shorten it appropriately. Shortening will cancel the apical dominance, and many side buds will quickly burst out from the remaining branches, leaves and stem connection points, that is, the growth points. Nutrients are concentrated on the main trunk, and the side buds that grow later will definitely be very thick and grow much faster.

That’s it