How do I Thin Leaves & Blooms on Dogwood Trees?
- 1). Carefully consider exactly how much you intend to cut back your dogwood tree. Remember the dogwood is exceptionally sensitive to pruning, so try to be as sparing as possible. Use small lengths of colored string to mark the areas you decide to prune. Wash shears and scissors in soapy water before and after pruning to prevent the spread of disease.
- 2). Cut any dead, diseased or damaged twigs or limbs off cleanly with a sharp pair of gardening shears. Try to cut just outside the branch collar. Pruning twigs and limbs during the flowering period can be detrimental to the longevity of the tree.
- 3). To thin overproducing dogwood blossoms and leaves to highlight the bright red stems, use sharp scissors to cut excess foliage cleanly away. Avoid flat, flush cuts and try to cut the minimum possible to attain the desired effect.
- 4). Treat all cuts with an arboreal fungicide as soon as possible to prevent anthracnose infections. Dogwood trees are prone to infection, so special care should be taken. Follow the directions for the particular fungicide carefully and dispose of all pruned limbs and foliage to prevent spreading diseases or fungus.
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