Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Tamarisks are known for their flower and leaf colors, which give the plant its Mediterranean and even slightly Asian-inspired appearance. The tamarisk is a popular ornamental plant, the different types of which are attractively presented in your own garden. Typical of the Tamarix species are their flowers, which stand out from the foliage in racemes. In order to maintain this flowering and shapeliness, it is advisable to cut the tamarisk.
Summer or spring tamarisk?
Among the most popular types of tamarisk are two types, of which you may even have one in the garden. If you're not quite sure which specimen it is, you should know the difference:
- Summer tamarisk (bot. Tamarix ramosissima): buds from March, height of 5 - 10 m, sprawling growth
- Spring tamarisk or small tamarisk (bot. Tamarix parviflora): buds from May, height of 2 - 3 m, compact habit
Since both taxa share the same flower shape and color, and little difference in foliage, you must use these clues as a guide.
Summer tamarisk, Tamarix ramosissima
time
In itself, the cut does not differ in the two tamarisk species, but the timing of the cut does. Since the two taxa flower at significantly different times, as described above, the pruning must also be carried out at different times. These as follows:
- Spring tamarisk: June after flowering
- Summer tamarisk: spring, around March
The late pruning of the spring tamarisk is important due to the flowering period from April to June. If you were to prune the plant at the same time as the summer tamarisk, which blooms from June to the end of September, the flower buds will be removed. This means that you would have to do without the flowers this year and can only look forward to them again next year. The pruning of the summer tamarisk, on the other hand, is necessary in spring. The reason: if you cut right after flowering at the end of July, the plant would be more susceptible to the winter cold.
tip: Tamarisks should be topiary during the winter break between October and March. Since this cut does not thin out the entire plant, but only brings it into shape, you don't have to do without the beautiful flowers in spring or summer.
Spring Tamarisk, Tamarix parviflora
Cut tamarisk correctly
Tamarisk pruning is not a problem as the shrubs and small trees can be trimmed and shaped quite easily. Although they form many shoots and it can sometimes be a bit confusing, the pruning measures protect against balding, which occurs over the years in insufficiently cared for specimens. For the cut you need the following tools so that you cause as little damage as possible to the carnation:
- secateurs
- for larger specimens pruning shears
- gloves
- wound protection agent
When using the secateurs and pruning shears, you should definitely make sure to close them beforehand sharpen and to disinfect. The tamarisk is extremely sensitive to diseases and should therefore be pruned as gently as possible. A wound protection product is also recommended after the cut, especially in winter. As a result, fungi, viruses and bacteria do not get into the interfaces, which would quickly cause tamarisk to become ill. So be sure to keep your tools in tip-top condition before making the cut.
Tip: If you prefer the attractive wild growth of the plants, you can do without the pruning, as the plants look just as appealing as a shrub or wild tree. It is true that tamarisks do not grow in such an orderly manner and in all directions, but you save yourself the pruning work, especially if you have planted a large number of specimens.
Care cut: instructions
Maintenance pruning is itself the most important pruning when keeping a tamarisk tree, whether it's a summer or spring flowering species. The care cut is carried out annually according to the dates already mentioned and you should pay attention to the following general conditions, especially with the spring tamarisk:
- perform on frost-free days
- no direct sunshine
- no rain
- cloudy days are good
- alternatively perform in the morning or evening
Summer tamarisk, Tamarix ramosissima
These points will help you not to stress the tamarisk too much during the cut. In direct sunshine, it could dry out from the inside and when it rains, too much moisture penetrates the interfaces. This eventually leads to rot or infection. This pruning is all about preserving the vitality of the plant. Although tamarisks are extremely robust, their vitality suffers if they are not cut. One consequence is the bareness over the years. To avoid these problems, do the following when editing:
1. Avoid infections
If you have planted several specimens, go from tree to tree. This minimizes the chances of infection from lacerations.
2. Look at the big picture
Start pruning on a tree and look at it. Since this is all about pruning, you need to look at the overall picture of the plant and check which shoots need pruning. So look for branches that are dried, broken, or weak. Likewise, branches that grow in the wrong direction and steal a lot of the energy that the plant needs to produce flowers must be removed.
3. Remove dead branches
First, remove dead branches. You can recognize these by the fact that they are no longer so easy to bend and by the pale colour. To do this, place the scissors directly at the base of the branch and remove it with a clean cut.
4. Avoid injury
When cutting, be careful not to snap the scissors or dig into the healthy branch or trunk. The reason for this is the intolerance of tamarisk to cuts. If these get into the healthy wood, moisture accumulates there within a short time, which makes the healthy wood susceptible to infectious diseases. In addition, growth slows down if you cut into healthy wood. The reason for this is the energy expenditure of the plant, because it needs a lot of strength to close the wounds. The loss of strength is clearly reflected in weaker flowering.
5. incorrectly growing branches
Now it's time to cut the incorrectly growing branches. Remove branches at the base growing like this:
- Inside
- straight up
- cross
These clearly disturb the growth of the plant and also look untidy and too wild if you want a well-kept garden.
6. young shoots
You can recognize these by their clear flexibility and the fact that they are a bit thinner. They are only slightly trimmed at the top. If they are young shoots that grow upwards too quickly, you should cut them back by a third. Are these shoots extremely long by half. However, never remove them completely, as these are not water shots. To do this, always position the scissors at an angle over a bud. The eye must point outwards.
7. Treat cuts
After cutting, remove the plant material and treat the cuts with the remedy. This is very important and you must not forget it.
Spring Tamarisk, Tamarix parviflora
Radical Cut: Instructions
The radical pruning of the Tamarix is only necessary if you have missed the care pruning or, for example, are moving into a new house whose garden adorns a specimen that is not in good condition. Then trim yourself as explained above, but remove most of the branches. To do this, simply remove the following shoots until only the strongest and thickest branches and trunk parts remain:
- youngsters
- dried branches
- diseased branches
- broken branches
This gives the already dead plant a growth spurt and you can enjoy the picturesque flowers of the tamarisk again in one to two years.
Topiary as a tree: instructions
Last but not least comes the topiary, with which you can shape the plant that sprouts as a shrub into a tree. Depending on the age of the plant, you should also use a pruning saw to remove particularly thick branches. The cut is made as follows:
1. You have to prune the growth for this. Pick a height for the crown and mark it with a ribbon.
2. Now remove any side shoots that are under this band. To do this, either use the scissors or cut back with the saw to a height of ten centimetres. Then remove the side branch completely down to the trunk. This is important because some side shoots can be too heavy for the trunk and rip fibers out of it.
3. When removing, be careful not to damage the branch collar. This puts a lot of strain on the plant.
4. After you have thoroughly removed all side shoots, saw all cutting edges flat again. Then apply wound protection, remove the band and the clippings.
Repeat this cut the following year when branches form below the crown. After a few years, the tree will grow to crown height, which will make it easier to shape in the long run.
Summer tamarisk, Tamarix ramosissima