[Scpg] No pruning may offer best roses, fruit crops?

[LBUZZELL at aol.com]

Before you do any winter pruning, please read this article!
 
Gregg Lowery of Vintage Gardens in Sebastopol, CA has written a very  
important article about the scientific evidence that now contradicts traditional  
procedures for rose pruning.  This article may also have relevance for how  we 
prune fruit trees, since roses are members of the rosaceae family  which 
includes many fruit trees.
 
In short, the British rose society did experimental trials on three  methods: 
traditional pruning, trimming with hedge trimmers and no pruning at  all.  
The winner in terms of health and bloom was -- you guessed it --  no pruning at 
all.  The British rosarians were in  an uproar!!!  How could it be possible 
that the plants know better than  people how to do their job?
\
We may still choose to prune for size, of course -- but we need to know  that 
we're not helping the health of the plant by doing so, and a gentle hand is  
needed.
 
_http://www.vintagegardens.com/PDF/Vintage%20Newsletter%2012_19_08.pdf_ 
(http://www.vintagegardens.com/PDF/Vintage%20Newsletter%2012_19_08.pdf) 
 
Happy holidays,
Linda
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