Making a Good Cut
MAKING A GOOD CUT
1 Cut about 5mm (¼ in) above a bud, angled so that moisture runs away from the bud and not into it. If the plant has buds lying opposite one another, cut straight across the stem, just above a strong pair of buds.
2 Avoid leaving a long stump as this will be starved of sap and may rot back.
3 Avoid cutting too close to the bud as this may allow infection to enter.
4 Blunt secateurs (pruning shears) or careless use may bruise or tear the stem instead of cutting through it cleanly. This is an invitation for disease spores to enter. The stump is also too long.
5 If the cut slopes downwards towards the bud, the excessive moisture that may collect in the area could cause the stem to rot.
6 Shrubs with opposite leaves should be treated in a different way to those with leaves that form an alternate leaf arrangement. Cut straight across the stem, just above a strong pair of buds.
1 Cut about 5mm (¼ in) above a bud, angled so that moisture runs away from the bud and not into it. If the plant has buds lying opposite one another, cut straight across the stem, just above a strong pair of buds.
2 Avoid leaving a long stump as this will be starved of sap and may rot back.
3 Avoid cutting too close to the bud as this may allow infection to enter.
4 Blunt secateurs (pruning shears) or careless use may bruise or tear the stem instead of cutting through it cleanly. This is an invitation for disease spores to enter. The stump is also too long.
5 If the cut slopes downwards towards the bud, the excessive moisture that may collect in the area could cause the stem to rot.
6 Shrubs with opposite leaves should be treated in a different way to those with leaves that form an alternate leaf arrangement. Cut straight across the stem, just above a strong pair of buds.
