Pruning When and Bluebells

DESIGN ELEMENTS

When To Prune

Pruning is one of those jobs that eventually every gardener that grows anything will undertake.

Now that you’re committed to pruning that tree or shrub or hedge, what is the most important consideration do you think?
Do you know the name of the species of plant?
Some gardeners would have the ubiquitous plants like murraya, Viburnum tinus, star jasmine and Japanese box.
Others may be more adventurous and have Chinese fringe flower,(Loropetalum chinense), Bower vine (Pandorea jasminoides), or even a trumpet vine (Beaumontia grandiflora).

Do you know when it’s about to flower or set fruit?
So when should you prune it?
Well, today it’s about when’s the best time to prune.
Let’s find out.

I'm talking with Jason Cornish from www.urbanmeadows.com.au
Jason's tip is to wait until after flowering before commencing pruning as a general rule.
Pruning hedges is different because the flowers are not the feature, but the neatness is.
Depending on what the plant species is, for hedging, pruning occurs 2-3 times a year.
fore example, viburnum hedges.
For vigorous hedges such as Plumbago, you will need to prune 4-5 times per year.

• TIP:If you don’t know what shrub or tree that you’ve got, the best advice is to wait until it flowers or sets fruit, and then prune after that.
• Jason's General Rule Nr 2 : Jason’s strategy is lightly and often.

If you have any questions for me or for Jason, please write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com

TALKING FLOWERS

Bluebells

There are English (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and spanish bluebells. (Hyacinthoides hispanica).

• Family: Asparagaceae

Flowering in Spring, the bluebell is blue.  but, there are also bluebells that have a creamy colour or an off white hue and even pink.

It might not look like it but bluebells has six petals.  These petals are all fused up together forming a narrow bell shape.

The main differences between a Spanish bluebell and  English bluebell 

English bluebells flower on one side, Spanish bluebells flower on both sides of the stem.

English bluebell is stronger scented. Spanish bluebell has only a very slight scent.

Spanish bluebell grows well in full sun but English bluebells prefers at least partial shade.

Spanish bluebell flowers lift their heads towards the sun. English bluebells never do.

• Superstitions:

Bluebells is a tool used for calling fairies.

“Ring” the bluebells like you would a normal bell and the fairies would come. But the downside is - if you actually hear it ring, it’s a superstition that someone that holds dear to your heart will die.

•  In a vase.

Cut the bluebell stem straight across the base and place in shallow water in the vase. Any more water and the stems will soften and fall over.

Replace the water in the vase daily.
I'm talking with florist Mercedes Sarmini of www.floralgossip.com.au

Video was recorded live during broadcast of Real World Gardener on 13th November 2019