Loropetalum is a famous type of plant that people love planting. When it comes to this, you should note that it is a little different when compared to other plants. The main reason for this is that Loropetalum falls under the category of small trees or shrubs. Speaking of which, its leaves are what make the plant special. Instead of having a shade of green, the leaves come in different colors ranging from red to purple.
This can make your garden look beautiful as shrubs and small trees are occasionally required. Having the option to plant these in different colors can be amazing. Talking about this, one thing people often question is pruning these plants. This is a cutting method used to create bushes or shrubs but there are several variations of the technique. Here is what to know about how hard pruning can be done on your Loropetalum plants.
Hard Pruning Loropetalum
Pruning is a cutting technique used to get rid of dead roots and branches from your plant. Keep in mind that this ensures that your flowers look amazing, but the technique can also be used to maintain the shape of your plant.
Stopping or controlling the growth of your plants can be amazing but there are some additional things that you need to keep in mind. First of all, we will be providing you with a guide on how hard pruning can be done on Loropetalum. Make sure that you follow the guide carefully to understand how the process works.
- Start by wearing protective gear that consists of gloves and safety goggles. Both of these help in keeping the user safe when coming in contact with dangerous chemicals. Keep in mind that the first two steps are optional, but these will only take a little time. Additionally, the steps can help you in ensuring that most problems that you can run into later on are avoided.
- You can now take a small pair of gardening scissors and clean them using a strong chemical. In most cases, alcohol can be great to eliminate most germs and bacteria but if you have another option then that can be used instead. Make sure that you clean the scissors using warm water once you have rubbed alcohol on them. Taking off the chemical is also an essential step.
- The user can now get started with the pruning process. Observe your plant and look for branches that have started to spread out. The shape of your Loropetalum is one of the quickest ways to notice if there are any dead branches or not. If the leaves are lifted from a spot or going under then this indicates that there are some dried branches in that spot.
- You can now start feeling the shrubs or trees and then lift the branches on them. If you notice that there are any dead ones, then cut these off carefully. If you want to control the growth of your plant, then make sure that you remove branches that are spreading out as well. The cuts that you need to make should be at the start of the branch instead of its end.
- Keep in mind that hard pruning can take some time on plants like these as there are tons of branches to deal with. Considering this, take your time and ensure that all the dead branches are taken off. Moreover, controlling the growth of your Loropetalum is also essential as it spreads quickly. Just make sure that you do not alter the form of your plant during the process.
The steps mentioned above are enough to hard prune your Loropetalum plant. However, one more thing that you should keep in mind is that there are several types of this shrub. When it comes to this, some varieties also grow flowers on them. If you have one of these Loropetalum then it is best that you only prune during spring.
This is because cutting the plant before it can result in taking off its flower buds. Moreover, most Loropetalum plants grow back quickly which is why you will have to repeat the same steps over and over again. If this is a problem for you then try limiting the space for your shrubs to stop their growth. Limiting the space for your Loropetalum is a great way of avoiding pruning.