Pruning and Other Practices

Pruning and Maintenance of Rose Bushes

July 4, 2024

General Care:

Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.
Water 1 inch per week from spring until after harvest.
Roses are heavy feeders.
Spring: Fertilize with a slow release, balanced fertilizer.
Throughout season: Feed every 4 weeks.
Late summer, early fall: Stop fertilizing 6 – 8 weeks before frost date in preparation for winter.
NOTE: Very sharp thorns. Wear gloves when handling.

Pests & Diseases:

Susceptible to rose borers, powdery mildew, and fungus.

Late Winter/Early Spring Pruning Steps (start of new growth):

Remove all remaining leaves.
Prune dead wood back to the base.
Prune out crossing branches. Ideally create an open vase-like shape to increase air circulation.
Remove thin and weak growth (anything thinner than a pencil).
Shape the remaining canes into desired shape by cutting ¼” – ½” above an outward facing bud, at an angle sloping away from the bud.
Dispose of any leaves and waste to prevent spread of disease.

Fall Pruning (after killing frost):

Prune only as needed for winter preparation.
Trim longer stems to keep from snapping in winter storms.
Trim crossed branches to prevent rubbing.
Remove dead/diseased branches and foliage.

Crop Rotation

January 25, 2024

Crop Rotation is not just for Farmers

You are what you eat! In this day and age when increasing attention is paid to the quality of the food we eat, more and more people want to grow their own food. As a hallmark for sustainable farming, crop rotation minimizes problems down the road while preserving soil structure and health.

Crop rotation is not just for the farmers. It can be put to use in small plots of land as well. By rotating crops each season; we promote a natural method of pest control which helps to break disease cycles that can occur when the same crop is grown in the same spot for successive years. For example, Clubroot is a soil borne fungus that affects brassicas, and accumulates from successive growth in the same location. Mono cropping also depletes the soil of nutrients specific to that crop. In the same way our bodies can ache if we do the same thing over and over, the soil can get tired if we plant the same vegetable, year after year in the same spot.

Simply put, crop rotation requires you to avoid growing the same crop in the same spot year after year. Plant your like family vegetables in a different spot than the previous year and rotate your different crops like a cycle. It’s helpful that some vegetables will replenish lost nutrients back to the soil after a crop has been harvested. It helps to grow legumes after heavy feeders like corn or leafy vegetables. While you’re at it, add in some green manure like clover to enrich the soil. No matter what vegetables you are growing, there are many rotations to suit your needs. You decide!

Remember that any crop rotation is a work in progress, and much of the enjoyment and challenge comes from experimenting with it each year as you learn from previous years. By keeping in mind a few things, it will make it much easier to work out a suitable rotation for you.

Know botanical names of your vegetables and group vegetables from the same family together
Explore the internet as there are a wealth of resources
Keep a notebook to record observations and keep accurate records
Grow green manure as it enriches the soil like essential nutrients for the body
Alternate deep rooted and shallow rooted crops to promote a balanced draw
Leafy vegetables generally use a lot of nitrogen so plant soil builders like beans prior to growing lettuce

Some basic types of groupings that may work for you include: heavy feeders (broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, corn, squash); light feeders (carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes, peppers, garlic, onions, chives); nitrogen fixing (soil builders – green beans, lima beans, peas, soybeans); green manures (clover, vetch, alfalfa, rye, buckwheat).

Article written by Shane Rajapakse for the MGOI newsletter and reprinted here with permission.

Editor’s Note: More gardeners are practicing a technique called chop and drop. Essentially you cut back your weeds and grasses before they go to seed and leave them on your garden as green manure mulch. The nutrients are available immediately to the plants and the mulch helps the soil to retain moisture, repress weeds and improve soil structure.

Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

November 16, 2023

Excerpt from OMAFRA Publication 505 ‘Ontario Weeds’

It is essential that Goldenrod, Solidago spp., [verge d’or, solidage], not be confused with Common ragweed. Several species of Goldenrod occur throughout Ontario in meadows, pastures, woodland, river flats and roadsides, and have very conspicuous bright yellow inflorescences during the ragweed hayfever season of late summer and autumn. Goldenrods do produce pollen but only in small quantities, and their pollen is heavy and sticky. It is not carried on the wind and the plants are pollinated by insects. Because Goldenrod pollen is not carried on the wind, it must not be blamed as the source of irritation for ragweed hay fever sufferers.

Common ragweed is the most important cause of hay fever during August and September. Although inconspicuous and not recognized by most people, the tiny male flower beads hanging on their slender stalks produce huge quantities of very light pollen. As the pollen falls from these hanging flowers, it is caught by the wind and may be carried for distances greater than 200 km (125 miles). Hay fever sufferers, therefore, may be affected by pollen from ragweed plants far away.

Easy to grow and easy to pull out
Available in nurseries as Solidago
Beautiful; good for cut flowers
Sun; tolerant of dry or wet conditions, Zone 3
Attracts butterflies and bees
35-70 cm (1-2 feet) tall and 45 cm (1 ½ ft) wide
DOES NOT PRODUCE WIND BLOWN POLLEN OR CAUSE HAYFEVER
Blooms late summer and fall
Winter interest and seeds for birds

Gardening in the Highlands

October 6, 2023

As many northern gardeners will agree there are challenges to gardening in the highlands. The impulse to keep trying speaks to the doggedness and persistence of the type of character who make this region their home or cottage.

As a gardener you’ll be up against:

Long, cold winters with drying winds
Variable summers of hot dry or cool wet weather
Short growing season and cool nights
Blackflies and mosquitoes
Nutrient poor and thin soils
No municipal water or limited well water
Pests like deer, bear, beaver, and turtles
Fewer sources of information for northern gardeners

There are benefits of gardening in the Highlands. There are the spectacular views and the ready-made stunning natural backdrop to one’s garden. You’re certain to have an upper story of native trees, an understory of native shrubs and herbaceous plants, and the contrast of a glittering lake, a burbling creek or an imposing rocky outcrop.

The Highlands are part of the Algonquin dome with the contour of the land sloping from a high point downwards to the east, west and south. The northern part of the county, often called the Algonquin Park Region is marginally cooler, dominated by coniferous forests, and poorer soils. The central and southern parts of the county called the Haliburton Slopes benefit from areas of underlying sedimentary limestone. Limestone contains calcium which can neutralize acid and benefit plants. If you happen to garden in one of these areas you have a bit of an edge. In general however Haliburton soils are acidic with a ph. of 6 or less and that’s because the subsoil is composed of ground-up granite rock of the Precambrian shield.

For information about growing zones please click here.

Canada’s most recent Plant Hardiness Zone map takes a wide range of climate variables into account, like minimum winter temperatures, maximum temperatures, rainfall, snow cover, wind, and elevation. In Canada, there are 10 zones, which are numbered from 0 to 9. The higher the zone number, the warmer the climate. Haliburton County is generally considered to be zone 4.

There may also be areas of exception or ‘micro climates’. Factors that contribute to microclimates may be nearby bodies of water, presence of concrete or stone, slopes, soil type, vegetation, or structures. For example, plantings close to a house that are sheltered from northern winds will do well so you might experiment with a plant rated for a warmer zone, like a zone 5. Read the plant tags when you are buying new plants to ensure they will survive year after year.

Beware of imported plants that have the US hardiness zone information on the tags. This is not equivalent to Canadian hardiness zones. As a general rule of thumb gardeners can simply add one zone to the designated USDA zone. For example, USDA zone 4 is roughly comparable to zone 5 in Canada. Buying locally and asking questions at your local garden centre will help alleviate this confusion.

If you want to overwinter perennials outdoors in containers, it’s best to sink them into the ground. This will protect your planter and the plants.

Components of Soil

April 19, 2023

Mineral soils consist of four major components:

1. Mineral Materials

sand, silt and clay are the 3 major components of the mineral fraction of soil
they account for 45%-50% of the total soil volume
sand and silt particles are derived from quartz and feldspar
gravel and sand can be seen with the naked eye
a magnifying glass is necessary to see silt particles
clay particles are derived from silica and aluminum oxides

2. Organic Matter

consists of dead and decaying plants and animals.
is critical for gardening success because:
improves the soil’s physical structure
holds and releases plant nutrients
increases the water holding capacity of the soil
increases beneficial organisms in the soil

3. Water and 4. Air

are found in the pore spaces between mineral and organic components
account for about 50% of total soil volume
are essential for the growth of plant roots and soil microbes
dissolve most plant nutrients

Soil porosity is a measure of the pore space volume of a given soil:

sandy soils have large pore spaces which promote rapid drainage of water and leaching of nutrients and organic matter
clay soils contain tiny pore spaces which may impede root growth and water drainage
increasing organic matter increases the soil’s porosity and capacity to hold water

Air is pushed out when water comes into the soil from precipitation or irrigation of groundwater. If air is unavailable to plant roots for too long, the plant suffers from lack of oxygen. Some water is used by plants, some is lost through evaporation, and some moves so deep into the soil the plant roots cannot reach it.

Soil Layers (Horizons)

Ontario soils have at least 3 distinct layers that differ in colour, texture, consistency, and structure.

1. Surface Soil

contains most of the organic matter and plant roots
provides most of the nutrients and water to plants

2. Subsoil

consists of small clay particles that are carried down by gravity and rainfall
is lower in organic matter
provides storage space for water and nutrients
helps regulate the soil temperature and air supply of plant roots

3. Parent Material

is made up of decomposed rock characteristic of the bedrock
influences the soil’s texture, fertility, acidity, and depth

Soil Structure

In each textural class there is a range in the amounts of sand, silt, and clay that can be present. Most surface soils in Ontario fall into five textural classes. Each class name indicates relative amounts of sand, silt and clay in the soil.

1. Silt loam

2. Loam

3. Silty clay loam

4. Sandy loam

5. Clay Loam

General Pruning Tips

March 21, 2023

When to Prune

The best time to prune most woody plants is during the cold season when they are dormant. If circumstances force you to prune later in the season you aren’t going to kill your plant.

Why Prune Plants in Late Winter?

they are free of leaves and you can see what you are doing
the plant energy isn’t wasted on new growth that is going to be loped off
they are least susceptible to infection at this time (there are exceptions)

Some Basics

A tree grows from the top, from its leaders. A branch doesn’t move up a tree as it grows taller. The branches on a small tree will stay at the same height from the ground all its life. It will grow new branches higher up but the original branches will stay where they are.

2. Terms used in Tree and Shrub Pruning

Some Tips

Sterilize your pruning equipment in isopropyl alcohol after working on each plant.
The 4 D’s: prune out the dead, diseased, damaged and dysfunctional.
Most trees and most other plants do not require a lot of pruning– in fact, most of the time, pruning out the 4 D’s is all that is needed.
Over pruning encourages water spouts (suckering) and effects root growth, growth that is essential to surving harsh climates.
Remove sucker growth from the base of the trunk and from the interior of the tree annually.
Any cuts that aren’t made flush to a trunk or branch should be made at least 2 cm (1”) above a bud and cut cleanly with sharp pruners or loopers.
Don’t stake a tree any longer than one year at which time it’s stable enough to stand on its own.
Keep mulch away from the trunk of the plant to prevent rot and rodent damage.
Use well-rotted manure, mulch or compost to nurture trees and shrubs placing it well away from the trunk or crown and concentrating it at the drip line. Over fertilizing with nitrites will inhibit flower budding and cause excess vegetative growth making plants vulnerable to pests. Over fertilized garden centre seedlings reared on chemicals may not survive normal planting conditions.

Pruning Trees (apple, pear)

Full Size Standard Trees (under 10 years of age)

At maturity a pruned apple or pear tree should be Xmas tree shaped. Identify your central leader. Remove double leaders.
Choose your lowest branch – in the Haliburton Highlands make sure it is above the snow line (1 metre min.) to avoid ice damage and breakage. Now prune all branches below it.
Now prune according to the 4 Ds.
If there are multiple branches you may want to thin some out. You want the tree to be well balanced so choose main branches on all sides first. (mark with ribbon).
If you need to do further pruning, follow the branch to the trunk and cut on a 45 degree angle above the branch collar (to optimize healing). Avoid pruning branches larger than 8cm (3”). Prune out branches with wide or narrow crotches. The best crotch angle (roughly the 2 o’clock or 10 o’clock angle from the center of the tree). Wider angles can break when laden with fruit and narrower angles lead to bushy growth and fruit that is too high to pick.
Prune back any lower branches that arch and grow taller than the central leader.
You can choose at this last stage to give the tree an overall haircut by heading back the long gangly stems to encourage shorter, stouter branches. Cut back 20-30% of last year’s growth. (Avoid creating bushy starbursts in unwanted places)
Thinning out young fruit: If you have a particularly prolific tree and are concerned that a branch laden with fruit will break and you want larger but fewer fruit and good flower bud development for the next season consider thinning out the fruit. Begin thinning the fruit early when it is 1.5 cm in diameter. Starting at one end of a branch remove fruit, leaving one fruit every 15 – 20 cm (6-8”). Any earlier and you might remove leaf buds by mistake. (This fruit thinning technique applies to pommes and stone fruits.)

Check out our Heritage Apple Project here!

Pruning Stone Fruit Trees (plum, cherry, apricot)

Stone fruits are native to warmer areas of the world and growing them in Zone 4 is a challenge. They bloom earlier in the spring and can be damaged by our late frosts. They are shallow rooted, prone to drought and disease and harvest is delayed to allow for maximum sweetening. (The sugar content in stone fruit doesn’t increase after harvest.) If you like cherries try growing a Shrub Cherry instead of a tree. They are hardy and blight resistant.
Stone fruit trees are pruned in spring from bud swell to petal drop to avoid infection from canker disease. The central leader is cut to encourage an open vase shape for maximum light penetration.

Notes on Trees

Although there are newer more cold hardy rootstocks of dwarf and semi-dwarf trees a ‘standard’ height tree will be dependably cold hardy and live for decades. If you’ve ever walked through an old abandoned orchard the trees left standing are standard height heritage apples.
A tree will develop a stronger, more extensive root system if it has a fuller crown. Limit pruning at the time of planting to structural training and the removal of damaged branches only. Any removal of branches will reduce the capacity of the tree to produce food in the leaves and provide energy for above and below ground growth.
In most soils, the vast majority of trees’ fibrous, absorbing roots are in the top eight inches of soil. Roots grow where conditions are best for root growth and where water and oxygen are available.
Taproots are very uncommon in mature trees. If taproots do develop, they usually will be forced into horizontal growth when they encounter bedrock or hard subsoils beneath the surface. The entire root systems of most trees can be found within three feet of soil. The spread of the root system however, can be very extensive, often extending 2-3 times the spread of the crown.

For more information go to: http://www.hardyfruittrees.ca/tutorials/2014/01/20/how-to-prune-a-fruit-tree

How To Prune Your Fruit Trees

Pruning Grapevines

Grapevines have to be aggressively pruned in order to yield any fruit. The vine will only produce fruit on the new branches of the year. If you let the vine make five meters of branches every year, after 3 years your vine will have to feed 15 meters of branches in order to reach the branch’s extremity where the fruit is.

Goals of Pruning

To obtain multiple clusters of fruit
To train the vine along a trellis, fence or conventional 2 wire structure.

When to Prune

Late fall or early spring

Types of Pruning

To tame an overgrown Grapezilla
Young plants and annual maintenance pruning

The Technique

Choose the main stem. It is the strongest stem that comes out of the ground. Then cut all the other stems coming out of the ground, just above the ground.
On the main stem, you will have to choose 4 branches. Choose the two strongest branches from both the left and right sides. If supporting your vines with two parallel wires (like shown in the image below) choose your branches so that each of them will easily hang on the wire. Using flagging tape is a great help in identifying the branches to keep. It will also help you to avoid cutting the good branches.
Cut all the branches, except for the 4 chosen, to 1cm from the main stem.
Finally, on each of the 4 branches, keep two buds and cut off the branch between the second and third bud.

About Kiwi

Male and female flowers are born on different plants, so both males and females must be planted in roughly a 1:6 ratio of males to females.
The plants often take several years to mature and usually do not bear fruit until they are 5 to 9 years old.
Although the plants are extremely winter hardy–tolerating temperatures as low as -30°F–they develop shoots early in the spring that are extremely sensitive to frost. In most years, there may be some shoot “burning” due to frost, although the plant usually survives, regrows, and fruits. If flowers are frosted, fruit will not develop that year.
Hardy kiwi are extremely vigorously growing vines that require a substantial supporting trellis.

Pruning Kiwi Vine the First Year

For the first year focus on straight growth and a strong framework. Tie the vine loosely to the post and keep it growing straight upward. Don’t allow it to twirl around the post. Remove all side branches until the vine reaches the top of the post.
Cut out the top of the vine a few inches below the top of the post and encourage side shoots that grow laterally along the wires. Winter is the best time for pruning kiwi vine side branches along the wires. Cut them back to a point where the stems are about 1/4-inch in diameter. If the vine didn’t form good side branches at the top, cut the main trunk back by about 2 feet and try again next year.
After the first year, focus on building strong lateral growth along the wires. Lead the branches near the top of the vine to the wires and fasten them in place every 18 to 24 inches. Cut the vine to keep it from extending beyond the wires. Remove shoots that are twisting around other shoots or taking off in the wrong direction.

How to Prune an Overgrown Kiwi

Remove all of the branches that wind around the kiwi trellis. Also, remove vine sections wound around other branches or nearby plants. Using sharp, sterilized pruners make a clean cut about one inch (2.5 cm.) from the main vine.
The next step is to trim out cross branches. This includes branches growing over or crossing other branches. Also, trim out shoots growing straight out from the stem since these will not bear fruit.
Select a principal stem for the kiwi vine and train this straight up a trellis. It should get some 6 feet long. Just beyond this point, allow two lateral side shoots to grow over the trellis. Prune these back to three buds, then remove all other lateral shoots.

Read more at Gardening Know How: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/kiwi/pruning-kiwi-vines.htm
https://extension.psu.edu/hardy-kiwi-in-the-home-fruit-planting