By Claudette Sims, Halton Master Gardener
General pruning
March is a good time to prune, repair winter damage, and check for disease such as black knot fungus. Always use clean, sharp tools. Remove dead, damaged, diseased wood. Cut back branches to just above another branch or a bud. Do NOT prune spring flowering shrubs until after they bloom. Detailed pruning information here.
Pruning with wildlife in mind
Use the “chop & drop” method to leave prunings in your garden to replenish the soil and provide nesting material for native birds. Leave larger pieces of wood in the garden for wildlife and consider leaving “snags” (upright dead trees) in place as long as it is safe to do so.
Overgrown shrubs
Use rejuvenation or renewal pruning to restore scraggly or overgrown shrubs. Which shrubs can you renew or rejuvenate? Here’s a list!
Hydrangea arborescens (smooth hydrangea or “Annabelle“)
Prune before new growth appears. Remove old weak stems, leaving about 1/3 of stems 30 cm long for structure and support. Find detailed hydrangea information here!
Clematis
Starting at the top of the plant working down, cut out all deadwood on each stem until you reach a live bud. Secure vines as needed. There is more information on our clematis fact sheet.
Fruit trees
Prune apple, cherry, plum, pear before flower buds swell. Remove any dead, diseased twigs and prune for open shape. Pear trees generally don’t require pruning, except for shaping.
Raspberries
Summer-bearing red and yellow raspberries, cut canes back to 4–5 feet tall before growth begins. Fall-only primocane raspberries — cut all canes to the ground before growth begins. Find detailed information here.
Blueberries
Early March, prune out dead, damaged, diseased wood to an open shape to increase air circulation. Find more information here about blueberries.
Houseplants
Increase water and feeding as plants start actively growing.
Amaryllis
After the flowers have faded, cut the flower stalk to within 1″ of the top of the bulb. Give plants a maximum of sun and feed “weekly, weakly” to produce a large healthy bulb and flowers for next year.
Start onions, garlic, yellow onions when the soil can be worked. Separate cloves just before planting and plant about 2″ below soil.
Order plants
Check our map of nurseries in Ontario for ideas. Nurseries specializing in native plants are marked with green stars.
Learn new skills
Watch this RBG webinar to find out how to “Manage Rain Where it Falls.”
