Pruning Oleanders: [Importance, Time, Considerations and Steps]

Oleanders are flowering shrubs that work as an excellent option for temperate climates.

Its use is ornamental, a task that it fulfills very well, but it can grow disproportionately.

To have everything in order and just dedicate yourself to enjoying your flowers, it is worth giving it the care it deserves, pruning being one of the main ones.

Do you plan to prune your oleanders but you do not know very well the steps to follow?Here we tell you one by one.

Why prune oleanders?

The main reason that leads to pruning oleanders is to ensure that their growth does not cause disturbances in the area where they are located.The reality is that if it is not applied at the right times, far from having a beautiful and flowering bush, it will look like a small jungle.

While it is growing, it is also common to prune it to give it the shape we want , instead of allowing it to grow as it happens.Pruning, as occurs in the entire plant kingdom, is also essential to preserve good health.

When is it better to carry out pruning of oleanders?

Pruning can be carried out in any period in which the oleander is not in the process of producing flowers. If it is essential to remove a branch that is affected, it can be done, but nothing that is very intense.

Planned pruning, as such, should be carried out at the end of winter or the first days of spring, so that it has time to recover. As it grows very fast, you will enjoy a beautiful bloom between spring and summer.

What tools should we use to prune oleanders?

For pruning oleanders you do not need any very special tools. With pruning shears and a handsaw it will be more than enough .The pruning shears will help loosen the thinner branches, while the handsaw will be for the thicker ones.

As a precaution, do not forget to use thick gloves that protect your hands from any cuts.

What should we take into account when pruning oleanders?

Oleanders can be enjoyed in two ways: as a hedge-like shrub that can be useful to delimit the garden or as a tree.So, before carrying out the pruning, it is necessary to decide what structure you want to obtain in order to work according to it.

If you are going to work as hedges, you have to decide the height that it will have since it will be the guide for the pruning that you will carry out in the future.It is also advisable to define the time of day in which you will execute the task , early in the morning being the best time since the temperature is lower and there is almost no sun.

How to prune oleanders without damaging this bush?

You will execute the pruning of the oleanders depending on the result you hope to achieve.

Oleanders with hedge structure

It is common for oleanders to be used for this purpose, making pruning a much more important issue than if it is left as a tree.

The reason is that you have to take care of always keeping it with the same structure so that it fulfills its function and looks beautiful.

After having defined the most favorable height, the plant must be allowed to grow until it reaches that point.The pruning will then be carried out annually with the idea that all the branches are adjusted to these parameters.

But in addition, this technique will make it easier for new stems to grow at a lower height, so you will get a denser bush, which is ideal.In the end, what looks more beautiful than a very dense hedge with flowers that stand out every spring?

Oleanders as a small tree

In this case, it will also be necessary to allow the oleander to grow according to its nature before applying the first pruning.

When it is already about 70 centimeters tall, it will be time to start removing all the secondary branches to make it more vigorous .

In this way, you will have to verify which is the main stem (it is usually the strongest) and cut with the saw the rest of the tree.The trunk can be left as it is or cut down to the height you prefer.

After this, the oleander will start to develop again (and faster than you think) so you’ll have to pay attention to the canopy.The idea is to give it a shape that is useful for you to decorate the place where you have planted it.

However, in either of the two cases, it must be taken into account that the areas of the plant that are in poor condition must be removed.You also have to take care of the appearance of suckers around the root, which you will have to check and remove when appropriate.

You do this job well and in a short time you will have a beautiful and flowering plant that will decorate your garden with great charm.