The Worst Time Of Day For Pruning The Plants In Your Garden

A well-tended yard is something all homeowners strive for. Whether it's adding mulch to your flower beds or taking some time to pull out the weeds you've been neglecting, there is no denying the overwhelming positive effect that a good-looking garden has on your yard. And one of the very best things you can do for your plants is to prune them. However, you need to make sure you are doing it correctly, and at the right. That's why you should avoid pruning your plants at midday.

Pruning is a method of plant care by which you selectively remove parts of the plant in order to promote its overall health, as well as control its size and shape. This includes removing things like stray or dying branches, flowers, and roots. However, the process of pruning does open the plant up to potential issues, which all gardeners need to be aware of. This includes knowing which plants shouldn't be pruned in the fall, where on the plant you should cut, as well as what time of day you should be cutting them at. This last point is vital because, while the time of day you prune may seem unimportant, it can actually have drastic ramifications on your plants. If you're not careful, poorly timed pruning could mean the difference between a renewed life and death for your plants.

Now, we all know that the vast majority of plants love the sun. But even the most sun-hungry plants can get stressed out if they are exposed to too much direct sunlight and heat. When the sun is at its brightest and hottest, plants are already working hard to conserve water and withstand the heat. As such, pruning during these times of the day opens the plant up to all sorts of potential harm.

Just like people, plants can easily become sunburned and stressed, and those extra layers of branches and leaves provide protection from the sun. After all, you wouldn't want someone to steal your sunhat or umbrella just as the sun is at its most powerful. Think of the parched lawns, mowed far too low, that turn yellow during a drought. Similarly, if you deadhead a flower in the middle of the day, you open up the plant to intense heat and dehydration, which can, in turn, cause the flower to dry, turn brittle, and die. This same principle applies to shrubs, trees, and anything else you have growing in the garden. 

Instead, aim to prune your plants in the evening as the sun is starting to set. Afterwards, provide them with a good watering to ensure that they are rehydrated and have time to adjust before coming into contact with the sun again. This will improve their health, and the night will give them plenty of time to recuperate before greeting the sun for another day.