Whether you are a keen gardener with the greenest of thumbs, or just starting out on your gardening journey, if you want a healthy, beautiful and thriving garden, pruning is a vital skill to learn.
Pruning is an important gardening practice that can help to maintain the health, shape, and productivity of plants, as well as improve their appearance. This applies to many plants; from trees to shrubs and other plants and flowers.
What is Pruning?
At it’s most basic level, pruning is what we call the task of cutting back or removing certain parts of a plant, such as branches, stems, or leaves. Critical for garden health, without proper pruning, your shrubs, bushes, trees and plants will not have the maintenance and support they need to thrive.
Knowing when to prune, depending on the season and temperature, and how to prune, for example, when to just give a light trim and when to really cut it back, is important for any garden proud homeowner.
Benefits of Pruning?
Pruning is important for a number of reasons. Critically, because, when done incorrectly, it can have a serious impact on the health, look and growth of your plants. At worst, improper pruning can kill a plant altogether or permantenly stunt it’s growth. So keep reading to learn how to do it right!
Some of the many benefits of pruning include:
Promote Growth
Firstly, it can help to promote the growth of new branches, leaves, and flowers. By removing dead, damaged, or diseased parts of a plant, you can encourage new growth and help the plant to remain healthy and productive. Pruning fruit trees encourages increased productivity and improves growth rates season upon season. In other hedges and shrubs, it increase growth by encouraging new shoots, helping plants grow taller and stronger. And in flowering plants, pruning improves growth and makes sure that they will continue to flower.
Prevent Disease
Pruning can be strategically applied to remove any parts of the plant that are dead, damaged, or infected with disease. This helps to prevent the spread of disease or pests to other parts of the plant, and allows the plant to focus its energy on healthy growth. While cutting it right back may sometimes be needed and not look great – it will be worth it to save it in the long run.
Aesthetics
No one likes an untidy bush… straggly, overgrown hedges and plants make the entire garden look untidy and un-cared for, while shaped, maintained plants give the whole garden a lift!
Pruning can be used to train and control plants to help them grow to the desired size, hight and shape to suit your garden design. From shrubs that are pruned into round balls or vines that are trained to grow in the right directions, pruning will definitely improve the astheics of your garden.
Safety
Especially important in winter, pruning also allows you to remove dead or heavy branches and limbs which might otherwise fall and injure unsuspecting passersby. From risks of stong winds or heavy rains, or very dry periods where dead branches grow brittle, careful pruning keeps your garden safe. It also helps to deter pests or vermin by eliminating potential breeding grounds or hiding places for pests, and increasing air circulation can make it more difficult for them to thrive. Additionally, pruning can help to prevent branches from touching nearby structures, which can provide a pathway for pests to enter your home or garden.
Protects Property
Not just increasing garden safety for people, pruning helps protect your property from falling limbs on cars or your house, prevent branches scratching windows or car paint, and even stop branches or heavy leaves from clogging up your drains causing more work.
Thick and overgrown shrubs can even collect dirt and create mould/scum patches on the edges of paths or driveways that take pressure cleaning or heavy scrubbing to remove. It’s always better to keep things tidy and under control.
Improve light
Some of your other plants or even lawn might suffer if your garden isn’t pruned back regularly. Thick or tall growth can reduce sunlight from getting to the lower areas and plants in your garden, reducing their health and growth chances by limiting their sun and air intake. Pruning decreases the competition between your plants for the nutrients they need to thrive.
Aids Reticulation
If your garden relies on an irrigation system to get the water it needs, garden overgrowth is one of your reticulation systems biggest problems. If hedges and plants aren’t pruned back regularly, they can block a sprinklers water coverage, causing dry patches in your lawns or stopping certain plants from getting any water at all.
Now that you know what pruning is and how important it is for your garden, let’s go a little deeper and learn more about the different types of pruning techniques to use.
Types of Pruning?
There are a few different types of pruning you can use, depending on the season and the type of plant; types of pruning will also differ depending on if it’s for trees, shrubs, fruit plants or flowers.
Types of Tree Pruning
At Perth Gardening Experts, we cann’t help with any major tree pruning – only for smaller trees under 3m in height – for anything higher, you’ll need to get an arborist involved. We’ll give you some tips here, but always make sure that you feel confident and safe – and never prune any heavy or large branches above your head!
Thinning
Thinning involves selectively removing branches from the crown to increase light penetration and air circulation, reduce wind resistance, and promote new growth. Done correctly, thinning can open up the canopy of a plant and allow more air and sunlight to reach the inner branches and leaves. This can reduce the risk of fungal diseases and promote healthy growth. Especially important in fruit tree pruning, it will improve the production of your fruit trees.
Lifting / Raising
This type of pruning involves removing the lower branches of the tree, and is usually done to provide clearance for buildings, vehicles, and pedestrians above paths, streets and walkways.
Reduction
This pruning involves removing the upper branches of the tree to reduce the overall height or spread of the tree. This is usually to prevent the tree from interfering with power lines or structures, or to reduce the weight of the canopy to prevent breakage. To avoid having to apply this technique, it is important to stay on top of pruning the tree to train it as it grows – rather than having to do a big cutback later.
Shaping
This is usually the reason you get a garden maintenance company or arbourist in – when you want to shape the tree to suit a garden design, the space or improve the overall look. Common shapes are natural, spherical round styles, or keeping the bottom of the tree cut in a straight line for a very tidy look.
Structural
Often done in the early stages of a young tree’s growth, structual pruning is used to improve the structure and stability of the tree, training from a young age to growth thicker where needed and promote the right shape for it to grow into.
Types of Shrub Pruning
At Perth Gardening Experts, we have experience in all types of shrub pruning, whether it’s for shape, improving the overall look, improving health or more. So if you decide that, after reading our blog, you want some help – just give us a call.
Maintenance
Something we are particularly passionate about, maintenance pruning involves removing dead or diseased branches of your shrub, and shaping the shrub to maintain its size and shape. This type of pruning is the key to keeping your garden looking great – year round.
Renewal / Growth
This pruning is applied when you need to cut back the entire shrub to stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the plant. This is typically done in older shrubs or those that have become overgrown.
Pruning for Fruit Trees, Bushes and Plants, and Flowers
Now we’ve covered how to prune trees and shrubs, it’s now time to look at how to prune fruiting and flowering trees, bushes, plants and flowers such as roses to promote growth of the flowers and fruit.
If you know anything about plants and flowers, you’ll know there are hundreds of varieties and best practice pruning methods will differ based on the variety, the season and your location, so we’ll only be able to give a basic overview in this blog to get you started.
Pruning Fruiting Trees and Bushes
The best time to prune fruiting trees and bushes in Perth is during the plant’s dormant season, which is typically in winter. Pruning during this time helps the plant to focus its energy on new growth in the spring and summer, and it also reduces the risk of damaging the plant’s fruit production.
Here are some tips on pruning fruit trees:
Remove dead and diseased wood: As you prune, look for any dead or diseased wood and remove it. This will prevent the spread of disease and encourage healthy growth.
Thin out overcrowded branches: If your tree or bush has too many branches, it’s important to thin them out to allow for better air circulation and light penetration. This will promote better fruit production.
Cut back to outward-facing buds: When making cuts, be sure to cut back to an outward-facing bud. This will encourage new growth to grow outward, which will help keep the plant from becoming too dense.
Prune to promote fruit production: Finally, be sure to prune in a way that promotes fruit production. This may mean cutting back some branches more than others to encourage fruiting spurs to form.
For deciduous fruit trees like apples, pears, and peaches, it’s best to prune them during their winter dormancy, usually from late June to early August in Perth. For evergreen fruit trees like citrus, you can prune them throughout the year, but the best time is right after the fruit has been harvested, typically in late winter to early spring.
It’s important to note that pruning timing can vary depending on the specific variety of fruiting tree or bush you have, as well as the local climate conditions. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to do some research or consult with a local gardening expert to find the best pruning schedule and more information on pruning fruit trees in Perth.
Pruning Flowering Bushes and Plants
The best time to prune flowering bushes and plants in Perth, Australia depends on the specific plant species, but a general rule of thumb is to prune after flowering has finished. This ensures that you don’t accidentally remove any flower buds that have formed for the upcoming season.
Here are some tips on how to prune flowering bushes and plants in Perth:
Choose the right tools: For smaller flowering plants, pruning shears or hand-held loppers may be sufficient. For larger bushes, a pruning saw may be necessary. Make sure your tools are sharp and clean to prevent damaging the plant.
Remove dead or diseased wood: As you prune, look for any dead or diseased wood and remove it. This will help prevent the spread of disease and promote healthy growth.
Cut back to healthy growth: When making cuts, be sure to cut back to a healthy growth point, such as a bud or lateral branch. Avoid cutting back too much at once, as this can weaken the plant.
Don’t over-prune: It’s important not to over-prune flowering bushes and plants, as this can lead to reduced flowering or even death of the plant. Only prune what is necessary to promote healthy growth and shape the plant.
Examples of flowering bushes that require pruning include roses, hydrangeas, and lilacs, which should be pruned after flowering. Other plants, like hibiscus, can be pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
Pruning Roses
The best time to prune roses in Perth, Australia is in winter, during their dormant season. The ideal time to prune is after the last frost of the season and before new growth appears, which is usually between June and August.
Choose the right time: As mentioned earlier, the best time to prune roses is in winter, during their dormant season. Wait until after the last frost of the season and before new growth appears, which is usually between June and August in Perth, Australia.
Identify the canes: Look for the main canes or stems of the rose bush. You’ll want to keep the strongest and healthiest ones and remove the weak or diseased ones.
Remove dead and diseased wood: Using sharp, clean pruning shears, cut out any dead, damaged, or diseased wood. Be sure to cut back to healthy wood.
Shape the plant: Prune to shape the plant and encourage an open, airy structure that allows good airflow and sunlight penetration. Cut back to a leaf node that faces the direction you want new growth to go.
Cut back to an outward-facing bud: When making cuts, cut back to an outward-facing bud to encourage new growth to grow outward, which will help keep the plant from becoming too dense.
Clean up green waste: Once you’ve finished pruning, remove all debris from around the plant to help prevent the spread of disease.
Fertilize and water: After pruning, fertilize the plant with a balanced fertilizer to help promote new growth, and water the plant thoroughly to help it recover and encourage new growth.
It’s important not to over-prune roses, as this can weaken the plant and reduce its ability to produce flowers. Only prune what is necessary to promote healthy growth and maintain the desired shape of the plant. By following these steps and pruning during the dormant season, you can help promote healthy growth, encourage abundant flowering, and maintain the overall health of your rose bushes.
Best Time To Prune
The best time to prune plants varies depending on the type of plant. In general, plants can be pruned when they are dormant, which is typically during the winter months when the plant has lost its leaves and is not actively growing.
However, some plants should not be pruned during the winter, such as those that bloom in the spring, because pruning during the winter can remove the buds that would have produced the flowers. These plants should be pruned immediately after they finish flowering, which is usually in the late spring or early summer.
For plants that are grown for their foliage, such as shrubs and hedges, it’s best to prune them in the late winter or early spring before new growth begins. This allows the plant to produce new growth that will fill in the areas that were pruned.
In general, it’s important to research the specific plant you want to prune and understand its growth habits, flowering time, and preferred pruning time. This will ensure that you prune the plant at the right time and in the right way to promote healthy growth and flowering.
Conclusion
Proper pruning is crucial to keep your trees, shrubs and plants healthy, tidy and attractive and to encourage flowers and fruit. You can see by now hoe important it is to do it not just at the right time, but in the right way to protect and increase the health and beauty of your plants.
If the thought of tackling your own plant and shrub pruning seems too stressful and you want to call in the experts, you can always get in touch with our team at Perth Gardening Experts on 08 6263 4645. We’ll take care of it for you throughout the year to make sure your plants grow healthy, stay in beautiful shape and look amazing in every season.
If you’re a homeowner in Perth, you know that maintaining a healthy and well-manicured lawn can be a daunting task. With our hot and dry climate, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the best practices for lawn care in order to keep your grass looking green and lush. In this blog, we’ll be sharing expert lawn care tips and tricks for keeping your Perth garden looking its best, including information on watering, fertilising and mowing.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie to lawn care, we’ve got you covered with practical advice and helpful insights. So let’s get started on achieving the lawn of your dreams!
Why Taking Care of Your Lawn is Important
A well-maintained lawn can add value and beauty to any home. It provides a safe and attractive outdoor space for children to play and serves as a natural backdrop for outdoor gatherings and activities. A healthy lawn also has environmental benefits, as it helps to filter pollutants, reduce erosion, and cool the surrounding air.
However, maintaining a healthy lawn requires time, effort, and a good understanding of the specific needs of your grass and soil. This is especially important in Perth, where the hot and dry climate can pose challenges for lawn care. By following some expert lawn care tips, you can keep your lawn looking its best and enjoy all the benefits it has to offer.
Our Expert Lawn Tips for Perth
Along with some of our tips on choosing the right lawn and helping it establish, we have also compiled our top expert lawn tips for taking care of your lawn to keep it healthy, vibrant and green!
Let’s start at the beginning…
Choose the Right Lawn
The first step in maintaining a healthy lawn is choosing the right grass for your climate and soil. In Perth, the most common types of grass are buffalo, couch, and kikuyu.
Buffalo grass is a low-maintenance option that is well-suited to the dry and hot climate of Perth. It is drought-tolerant and can withstand heavy traffic, making it a good choice for areas with children or pets. However, it is not as resilient as some other grass types and may require more frequent watering and fertilising to keep it looking its best.
Couch grass is another popular choice for Perth lawns. It is a hardy grass that can tolerate drought and heat, and is resistant to pests and diseases. However, it can be more difficult to maintain than some other grass types, as it requires regular mowing and may require additional watering in summer.
Kikuyu grass is a fast-growing grass that is popular in Perth due to its ability to tolerate drought and heat. It is also resistant to pests and diseases, and can withstand heavy traffic. However, it can be more difficult to control than other grass types and may require regular mowing and maintenance to keep it looking its best.
When choosing a grass type for your lawn, consider your climate, soil type, and the amount of maintenance you are willing to commit to. It is also a good idea to consult with a local lawn care expert or the staff at a garden centre for advice on the best grass for your specific needs.
Should you choose to seed your new lawn or use roll out turf?
When choosing between seeding or turfing a new lawn in Perth, there are a few factors to consider. Seeding is typically more affordable and can be done at any time of year, but it does require much more maintenance and can take longer to establish. Turf, on the other hand, is more expensive but is quicker to install and requires less maintenance while it is established. It is also available year-round and can be used immediately after installation.
Establish Your New Lawn
If you are starting a new lawn from scratch, there are several steps you can take to ensure its success.
Prepare the Soil
Before planting your grass, it is important to prepare the soil by removing any weeds or debris and adding compost or other organic matter to improve the soil structure. You should also test the pH of the soil to ensure it is within the optimal range for grass growth (between 6.5 and 7.0) and level the ground.
Plant the Seed/ Lay the Turf
If you are seeding your lawn, once the soil is prepared, you can plant your grass seed. Rake the soil to create a smooth, even surface, and scatter the seed evenly over the area. Gently water the seed and keep it moist until it germinates.
If you are laying turf, apply a layer of compost or other organic matter to help improve the soil structure and add nutrients and water the soil well to ensure it is evenly moist. Once all the turf is in place, water it thoroughly to help it settle into the soil and promote root growth.
Watering
You’ll need to apply for a watering exemption from the Water Corporation to allow you to water your lawn or garden outside the watering roster while it is established. Only apply for a water exemption on the day your lawn or garden is installed so you get the maximum amount of extra watering days. If you don’t have an exemption, you can receive a fine – so don’t risk your lawn or your wallet!
Fertilise
After your grass has germinated, it is important to fertilise and water regularly to ensure it grows strong and healthy. Follow the instructions on the fertiliser package for the best results, and water your grass deeply and evenly to avoid drought stress.
Tips on taking care of your new lawn
Maintaining a lawn in Perth, Australia can be a challenging task due to the hot, dry climate and the high potential for weeds and pests. However, with proper care and attention, it is possible to keep your lawn looking healthy and beautiful. Here are some tips on how to maintain your new lawn in Perth:
Fertilise Your Lawn
Fertilising your lawn can help to promote healthy growth and keep it looking green and lush. There are several types of fertilisers available for use on lawns, including slow-release fertilisers and liquid fertilisers. Choose a fertiliser that is specifically formulated for use on lawns, and follow the instructions on the package carefully.
Water Your Lawn
One of the most important aspects of lawn care in Perth is proper watering. The key is to water your lawn deeply and less frequently, rather than shallowly and frequently. This helps to encourage deep root growth, which makes your lawn more drought-resistant. In general, your lawn should be watered once or twice a week, depending on the weather and the type of grass you have. It is important to avoid over-watering, as this can lead to fungal diseases and other problems.
Mow Your Lawn
Mowing your lawn regularly is an important part of maintaining its health and appearance. The key is to mow often enough to remove the top one-third of the grass blades, but not so frequently that you remove more than this. Mowing your lawn too short can weaken the grass and make it more susceptible to pests, weed growth and diseases. It is also a good idea to change the direction of your mowing pattern each time you mow, as this helps to prevent the grass from becoming compacted and encourages healthy growth. Our top tip for weed control; if weeds have already gone to seed use a ‘catcher’ so the seeds aren’t spread throughout the lawn again and can be disposed of correctly. There are many ways that lawn mowing keeps your lawn healthy and green so it’s important to do it correctly!
Control Weeds
Weeds can be a major problem for lawns in Perth, especially during the hot summer months. To keep your lawn weed-free, it is important to regularly inspect your lawn for weeds and remove them as soon as you see them. There are several types of weed control products available for use on lawns, including herbicides and weed-and-feed products. It is important to choose a product that is safe for use on lawns and follow the instructions carefully.
Protect your lawn from pests
Pests, such as grubs and chinch bugs, can be a major problem for lawns in Perth. To prevent pest problems, it is important to regularly inspect your lawn for signs of pests and take steps to control them if necessary. This may include using pest control products, such as insecticides or nematodes, or practising good cultural practices, such as maintaining proper soil moisture and mowing your lawn at the recommended height.
Repair damaged areas
If you have areas of your lawn that are damaged or patchy, it is important to take steps to repair them. This may include reseeding the area, adding new sod, or applying a lawn repair product. Follow the instructions on the product carefully, and be sure to water and fertilise the area as needed to encourage healthy growth.
Will you use our lawn care tips?
By following these expert lawn care tips, you can install and maintain your lawn to help keep it looking healthy and beautiful. Remember to be consistent with your lawn care routine, as this is the key to maintaining a healthy and attractive lawn.
If you know you need to use these lawn care tips but don’t have time – you can hand over the lawn care to us! Just call us on (08) 6263 4645 or contact us at Perth Gardening Experts to come and help you with your lawn and entire garden as part of one of our garden maintenance packages.
The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and weeds are rearing their ugly heads! While Perth’s warmer weather during early spring and summer helps your lawns and plants thrive – these same conditions also boost weed growth.
There’s nothing more frustrating than pesky weeds invading your perfect lawn. But rest easy, we’re here to help by sharing the best methods for weeding lawns.
Read on for our top ways to achieve a weed-free lawn.
Why Removing Lawn Weeds is Important
Removing lawn weeds is important because not only does a weed-free lawn looks attractive, but even small weeds can damage your lawn by:
draining vital nutrients/hydration
blocking sunlight
crowding grass leaving bare/brown patches.
The best way to keep your lawn weed-free is to remove weeds before they seed and germinate.
Types of Common Perth Lawn Weeds
Weeds are managed differently, depending on whether their growth cycle is annual, biennial or perennial.
Annual, Biennial or Perennial?
Annual weeds like Wintergrass and Bindii live for one growing season and regerminate from seed. Watch for them in new turf/soil and recently cultivated beds.
Tackle them annually before they seed — otherwise they’ll plague you for years. Many have shallow roots and can be hand-pulled, but herbicides may be needed.
Perennial weeds like dandelion and clover go dormant but return yearly. They’re challenging to manage, regrowing from underground bulbs, rhizomes, taproots or from seed.
Remove roots fully and without delay — to reduce regrowth, try a pre-emergent herbicide.
Biennial weeds like thistles and ragwort produce vegetation in year one but no flowers/seeds until year two. They aren’t common in lawns, but are best dealt with in year one.
If they’ve already taken hold, remove central taproots to prevent regrowth. Spot herbicides can also help.
Broadleaf and Grassy Weeds
Broadleaf and Grassy weeds are the main weed types. Sedge is another type, more common in cool climates. How you treat weeds is influenced by growth cycles, and which of these categories they fall into.
Now you know the basics, here are our top weed-busting tips!
Hand Weeding Tips
Hand weeding is ideal for managing weeds in young turf, and useful for ongoing maintenance.
Tackle weeds young — remove the whole weed (including roots) so it won’t regrow. Pull gently in one direction to stop roots breaking.
Don’t forget about garden beds — otherwise weeds will spread to your lawn!
Take extra care with weeds that have bulbs, rhizomes, or extensive root systems like onion weed, soursob and nutgrass. Consider using a spade, tiller or weed puller to fully remove roots, as roots left behind will regrow.
Pros and Cons of weeding lawns by hand:
Hand weeding is environmentally friendly, and works well for young weeds, and doesn’t damage lawns.
It may be too time-consuming for large areas with many weeds. Consider what’s best for you — our friendly team at Perth Gardening Experts can advise you.
Mowing Tips
Mowing lawns is part of routine garden maintenance, but can also be important in managing weeds.
As well as maintaining appearances, regular mowing improves lawn health, discouraging weed growth, particularly for weeds that spread via seeds.
When mowing established weeds, use a grass-catcher so cuttings containing seeds aren’t spread over the lawn.
Mowing can help promote healthy grass growth, and discourage some weeds.
Not all weed types will respond.
If you’re not sure what mowing approach is right for your grass or weeds infesting it, ask the experienced team at Perth Gardening Experts.
Natural & Non-Toxic Weed Killer Tips
Many gardeners worry about using herbicides. Perth Gardening Experts encourage use of natural/non-toxic weed killers where practicable.
These can be cheap and simple, but like any weed killer, can harm your lawn if not applied with caution.
Vinegar is a traditional favourite. A spray bottle with an accurate stream is needed, to ensure the vinegar goes directly on weeds, avoiding beloved plants! Salt can be added for potency, and liquid dish soapfor ‘sticking power’.
Baking soda draws water from weeds. Again, avoid contact with grass or other plants.
Boiling water is another option. Take care to avoid splashes or burns, and don’t scald your lawn either!
Steam is another non-toxic weedkiller. Purpose-built steam weed killing devices are available.
Mulch lawns with grass clippings. This blocks the sunlight weeds need to grow and also fertilises your lawn!
Pros and Cons of removing lawn weeds with natural weed killer:
Natural/non-toxic weed-killing options are more eco-friendly and safer than herbicides.
However, they can harm your lawn, and aren’t practical for large areas or very established weeds.
Herbicide (Chemical Weedkiller) Tips
Herbicides use chemical compounds to poison weeds.
Active ingredients can include glyphosate, atrazine, dicamba, paraquat, triazine, diquat, glufosinate, metolachlor, urea derivatives, trifluralin, and surfactants.
Herbicides can be pre-emergent (applied in winter to prevent seeds from germinating) or post-emergent (applied to established weeds, attacking existing roots/foliage).
Choose the right product for your weed varieties and grass type. For instance, there are selective herbicides specially formulated to kill Bindii weed, without damaging Buffalo grass.
If you’re unsure about what weed varieties or grass type you have, speak with a professional. Perth Gardening Experts can help you navigate the tangle of weeds, herbicides and grass types!
When applying herbicides, SAFETY IS KEY.
Many contain strong chemicals, so wear proper protective gear — a respirator mask, face shield, chemical resistant gloves/clothing, and boots.
Keep animals and people away from areas being sprayed – check product safety instructions, and keep children and pets off lawns for however long instructions recommend (this could be hours or days).
If the health risks of herbicides concern you, talk to the experts at Perth Gardening Experts about non-toxic, pet-safe options.
Time for a garden tidy-up but your green bin isn’t quite going to do the trick?
Here are some tips on green waste removal options to help you face your next big garden clean up…
Use Your Green Waste Bin
If you don’t have much green waste, your council-issued green waste bin might just do the trick. This is usually the case if you stay on top of things and just have a few weeds to pull or a shrub or two that needs a light trim. Keep in mind, it might look large when empty, but can fill up after a good clean-up in just a single garden bed!
You can put the following from your garden in your green bin:
Organic waste
Grass clippings
Small prunings
Wood (branches, pruning, etc)
Weeds
Dog poop
It’s important to keep your green waste bin uncontaminated so it can be recycled and repurposed properly!
Skip Bins – for large amounts of Green Waste Disposal
If you are doing a big garden clean-up, and don’t have a trailer to take it to the tip yourself, you’re going to need to hire a skip bin.
Sizes usually range from 3 cubic metres to 12 cubic metres and can be hired from many companies around Perth.
This allows you, not just bigger quantities, but for larger, heavier green waste disposal. The company will take it to a registered green waste recycling/composting facility so it can be turned into compost and mulch – rather than getting tossed in landfill.
In skip bins, you can dispose of additional green waste such as:
Large tree branches/stumps
Soil
Palm fronds
Along with the usual weeds, pruning, clippings, etc.
Skip bins can start from a few hundred dollars, but if the alternative is making multiple trips to the tip, it can be worth it in the end.
Tip – many green waste disposal facilities now won’t accept Prickly Pear cuttings so check with your skip bin company when booking.
Book a Garden Clean Up Service
Don’t want the hassle of gardening and green waste removal yourself?
As part of our Garden Cleanup and Garden Maintenance Packages, we are able to remove large quantities of green waste for you. Each of our Gardening Packages comes with an allocation of green waste removal, but if your service generates a larger quantity; e.g. after a yearly hedge trimming service or cleanup of a very overgrown and neglected garden, we can remove the extra for you.
We can also advise if it will require a full trailer load or organise a skip bin for you if it is a serious cleanup of a property that is more ‘jungle’ than garden! Either way, we will make sure that your garden is left looking healthy, well-maintained and tidy – so you don’t have to organise a thing.
Get in touch to book a gardening service today
Call our team on 08 6363 4645 to book in your garden service – we’ll take care of the clean up and remove all the green waste for you!
Here are some green waste removal FAQs…
Do you do garden clean-ups before green waste verge collection?
Yes! This is a great time to take advantage of the free green waste removal and give your hedges a good trim and your gardens a refresh! Contact us to book in for a garden clean-up before your suburb’s next collection.
How much green waste can you remove?
We travel with large trailers and can remove approximately 5m3 of green wastes at one time.
Is this a service you offer in your regular maintenance packages?
It sure is. If you have booked our team for a garden maintenance service or clean up, we will always remove the green waste generate as part of your service. Additional charges may apply.
We all need a haircut now and then. Our plants are no different!
Every living thing needs a little TLC. A regular trim, also known as pruning, is a great way to achieve this for hedges, shrubs and bushes.
Pruning can help to:
maintain a manageable height
create special shapes/growth habits (e.g. topiary, standards, espaliered plants)
remove unhealthy growth like dead/diseased branches, water shoots and suckers
improve airflow, light, and water penetration
reduce competition/overcrowding
grow better fruit and flowers
stimulate new growth
improve plant health
add ‘curbside appeal’ to your home.
For those new to pruning, knowing when and where to start, and how far to go without damaging delicate plants, can be intimidating.
Fear not! This blog post gives our top tips on how to prune hedges and bushes like an expert!
What’s the Difference Between Hedges, Bushes and Shrubs?
These terms are often used interchangeably, but there are differences.
What is a Hedge?
A group of bushes or shrubs, closely planted to:
create privacy
act as a fence/boundary/windbreak or
fit an aesthetic theme (e.g. formal gardens).
What is a Bush?
A small, woody plant, with dense, low-growing branches, typically up to 2.5m tall.
Bushes fill spaces, add contrast, and can be decorative showpieces!
Popular ornamentals include camelias, azaleas, and hydrangeas.
What is a Shrub?
It’s like a bush, but larger — up to 6m tall.
Shrubs can stand alone, or be massed together as hedges. They can be used to:
shelter plants, livestock or buildingsfrom sun/weather
attract wildlife
add colour/texture/contrast to gardens
create topiary (decorative shaped bushes).
See some of our recent hedge and shrub trimming services
When to Trim Hedges and Shrubs in Perth
When you prune depends on the plant, and why it needs pruning — for example, appearance, manageability, or plant health.
Some pruning can be done almost anytime — for example, removing dead branches, suckers, water shoots, diseased or damaged growth.
Late winter, after the coldest weather is over, is usually best for annual pruning, especially for summer and autumn-flowering plants. This promotes healthy spring growth.
The general rule is to prune after flowering or fruiting. Spring-flowering plants are pruned after flowering ends.
Be cautious about autumn pruning though — new growth can be damaged by winter cold. Prune deciduous plants lightly soon after planting, then again in winter when dormant. Summer maintenance pruning stimulates growth. Plant evergreens in spring and trim them immediately, then biannually. Trim more frequently for a denser hedge.
Light Trimming and Tip Pruning
Light pruning suits young plants that might be damaged by hard pruning. Even before plants grow together to form a hedge, regular light trimming improves foliage density, for a well-formed hedge.
A light all-over trim using shears or a hedge-trimmer also helps to shape shrubs.
Removing deadheads and deadwood improves plant health. Trim at the 2nd or 3rd eye bud, immediately below the flower-bearing stalk.
To tip or pinch-prune, remove the ends of shoots during the growing season, pinching them out by hand. This encourages new shoots, shapely growth, and more flowers.
Moderate Trimming/Pruning
Moderate pruning suits established plants.
Cut healthy shoots back by about one-third of the whole plant, or half the previous year’s growth, to about 45-60cm from the base.
This stimulates more new growth than light pruning.
Hard Trimming/Pruning
Hard pruning (rejuvenation pruning) can be beneficial where pruning is long overdue.
It is especially appropriate for:
plants that get badly out of control like honeysuckle
vigorous deciduous species like forsythia and viburnum
common hedging plants like privet and Japanese holly
multi-stemmed shrubs like lilacs and roses.
Hard pruning of healthy plants to about 20-30cms above the ground encourages the plant to grow into a better shape.
Avoid hard pruning of unhealthy plants, as it can send them into shock.
What Tools to Use to Trim a Hedge
You are only as good as your tools — so invest in the right tools for the job.
Buy the best you can afford to make it both easier for you and better for the hedges — ground-steel blades and gear technology can help maximise cutting power.
Secateurs: your go-to hand tool for pruning, trimming, and deadheading. Choose secateurs with a bypass blade and gears.
Hedging Snips: a light, sharp hand tool, with long flat blades — useful for fine trimming of leaves and small stems.
Lopper: long-handled secateurs for pruning high branches, tall hedges and dead wood.
Pole Pruner: a small saw/secateur, mounted on a telescopic pole (manual or powered), used for safely trimming high branches.
Hedge Shears/Clippers: long-bladed hand tool for light trimming/shaping of shrubs and straight edges (e.g hedges).
Pruning Saw: a small, sharp hand saw, for branches up to 10cm thick. The narrow blade accesses dense foliage.
Hedge Trimmer: a motorised saw, optimal for trimming large/formal hedges efficiently. Choose from petrol, mains-electric, or battery-powered options.
Chainsaw: useful for big jobs, but less precise than hedge trimmers/shears. Use very carefully to avoid injury!
For assistance with hedge-trimming, contact us at Perth Gardening Experts. We use commercial-grade electric tools — much quieter and more environmentally friendly than petrol-powered tools. And our team are experts at trimming and shaping hedges.
How to Trim Hedges Correctly
Why trim hedges correctly?
Correct trimming keeps hedges compact and attractive, and stimulates growth.
Incorrect pruning can weaken plants and look terrible.
Step 1: Prepare Your Environment
Have a plan. Consider the weather — don’t prune in wind or rain.
Ensure hand-tools are sharp and power tools are fueled/charged.
If you aren’t confident to cut by eye, set string lines to help you cut straight. Save on clean-up time by using a drop-sheet to catch clippings.
Step 2: Remove Dead and Diseased Branches
Remove dead and diseased branches first.
Cut problem limbs back to their base, or to a strong lateral branch or shoot. This stops disease from spreading further, improves nutrient uptake, and encourages growth.
Step 3: Trim and Shape the Hedge
Trim protruding branches, then fine prune, for a smooth surface appearance. Start slowly — you can always take more off later, but you can’t put anything back!
For medium-height hedges, trim sides first, from back to front, cutting vertically. Prune the top horizontally, positioning your saw at a slight angle.
For tall hedges, trim the top first, then the sides. If using a ladder, tie it to a tree, or have someone hold it.
Always hold the cutting blade close to the main stem, cutting cleanly without tearing. Cut just outside the branch collar (where the branch begins). Don’t leave stubs — these encourage pests and diseases. Make your hedge wider at the base, so sunlight can reach lower areas.
NOTE: If you aren’t comfortable climbing a ladder, call our team at Perth Gardening Experts on 08 6263 4645! Our expert staff safely prune hedges up to 3m in height.
Feed your shrubs after pruning, using the right fertiliser for the type of plant.
Conclusion on How to Trim Hedges
Now you know why effective hedge trimming is vital to keep it healthy and immaculate.
You also know how and when to prune, to make your shrubs a stunning garden feature.
But let’s face it, we all just have way too much on our plate at times!
So before your hedge gets out of hand, and if you are worried about safety or achieving a beautiful end result, call Perth Gardening Experts and we’ll take care of it for you.
Whether it’s a one-off visit you need, or a convenient long-term maintenance package, we can help!
Call us on 08 6263 4645 or get in touch online — our friendly team are happy to discuss how PGE can help keep your garden looking great!
