Pruning Talks & Demos

Newton Abbot

Saturday 12th July

Pruning Talk & Demos

Damian McEvoy has been part of the horticultural show circuit since 2013, working extensively with Darlac tools. With over a decade of hands-on experience, he’ll be based in the garden tools area throughout the day, offering friendly, expert advice and practical tips.

Why prune?
• Improving Structure: Pruning can help shape and maintain the desired form of a plant.
• Encouraging New Growth: Pruning stimulates the production of new shoots and branches, especially when done correctly by cutting back to a bud.
• Promoting Flowering/Fruiting: Pruning can encourage better flowering and fruiting by removing dead or unproductive branches and by shaping the plant to allow for more light and air.
• Preventing Disease: By removing dead or diseased branches and improving air circulation, pruning can help prevent the spread of plant diseases.
• Rejuvenating Older Shrubs: Hard pruning of older shrubs can encourage new growth and restore vigour.

What Damian will demonstrate:
• Timing: Different plants have different optimal pruning times. Some are best pruned in winter, while others are pruned after flowering or in the early spring.
• Tools: Use sharp secateurs for small branches, loppers for larger branches, and a saw for thick branches.
• Clean Cuts: Make clean, angled cuts just above a bud or node, preferably one facing outwards. Avoid leaving stubs, as they can be entry points for diseases.
• Removing Problematic Branches: Remove dead, dying, diseased, and damaged branches. Also, remove branches that cross or rub against each other, which can create wounds and hinder plant structure.
• Thinning: Remove some of the older, weaker stems to improve air circulation and light penetration to the plant's centre