Pruning techniques for 3D artificial vertical gardens

The pruning of vertical gardens should take into account plant health, landscape effect and structural stability. Combined with its three-dimensional and multi-level characteristics, targeted methods should be adopted. The following is an explanation from four aspects: pruning purpose, tool selection, technical key points and seasonal management:

First, the purpose and principles of pruning

Promote plant health

Remove dead branches, diseased leaves and crossed branches to reduce nutrient consumption and lower the risk of pest and disease spread.

Control the growth direction of plants to avoid excessive compression of the structural framework by the root system or branches.

Optimize the landscape effect

Adjust the density and morphology of plants to ensure visual harmony among different layers (such as the foreground, middle ground, and background).

Highlight the seasonal color and texture changes, such as retaining flower buds in spring and ornamental fruit branches in autumn.

Ensure structural safety

Prune overly dense branches and leaves to reduce the load on the frame and prevent collapse caused by typhoons or heavy snow.

Prevent plant roots from penetrating the waterproof layer or damaging the building walls.

Second, tool selection and usage

Basic tools

Manual pruning: It is used for fine branch pruning (such as branches with a diameter of ≤1cm), is flexible to operate, and is suitable for precise pruning.

High branch shears: Equipped with telescopic rods, they can prune branches up to 3 to 5 meters high and are suitable for middle-layer plants.

Saw: It is used for cutting thick branches (such as those with a diameter of ≥3cm), and a safety rope should be used in conjunction to prevent it from falling.

Auxiliary tools

Safety belts and supports: When pruning tall plants, the body needs to be fixed to avoid falling.

Gloves and goggles: Prevent scratches from branches and leaves or splashing of debris.

Third, key points of pruning techniques

Layered pruning method

Bottom plants: Mainly pruned, remove overly dense branches and leaves, ensure ventilation and light penetration, and reduce the occurrence of diseases.

Middle-layer plants: Control the height and crown width to avoid blocking the upper layer plants, while retaining flowering or fruit-bearing branches.

Upper layer plants: Prune the top branches to prevent them from growing too tall and causing an unstable center of gravity, while retaining the main trunk framework.

Pruning after flowering

Flowering plants: Prune the spent flowers immediately after the flowering period ends to reduce nutrient consumption and promote secondary flowering (such as roses and petunias).

Fruit-bearing plants: After the fruits are ripe, remove the dead ones and keep the healthy branches to prepare for fruiting the following year.

Shaping pruning

Geometric modeling: By pruning, plants are shaped into spherical, conical or wavy forms to enhance the regularity and artistic sense of the landscape.

Natural pruning: Imitating the natural growth form of plants, it retains the layering of the main and side branches, which is suitable for creating a wild and interesting style.

Root pruning (for container planting)

Regularly inspect the root system in the planting module, remove overly long or entwined roots to prevent them from blocking the drainage holes.

After pruning, add new medium to ensure that the root system has sufficient growth space.

Fourth, seasonal pruning strategies

Spring pruning

Clear dead branches and diseased leaves in winter to reduce the overwintering sites of pathogenic bacteria and insect eggs.

Gently prune newly planted plants to promote branching and the emergence of new buds.

Summer pruning

Control the growth rate of plants to avoid poor ventilation caused by excessive thickening.

Prune overly dense branches and leaves to reduce the pressure of water evaporation while maintaining the transparency of the landscape.

Autumn pruning

Prune off diseased, weak and crossed branches to enhance the plant's cold resistance.

Keep the fruits of the fruit-bearing plants to extend the viewing period of the autumn landscape.

Winter pruning

Perform heavy pruning on cold-resistant plants, remove the dead parts, and retain the main trunk and healthy branches.

Inspect the frame structure and prune branches that may affect safety (such as those close to buildings).

Fifth, Common Problems and Solutions

Excessive pruning leads to the death of plants

Reason: Pruning too many branches at one time destroys the photosynthetic capacity of plants.

Solution: Prune in stages, with each pruning not exceeding one-third of the total number of branches. After pruning, replenish water and nutrients.

The wound got infected after pruning

Reason: The large wound was not disinfected, allowing bacteria to invade.

Solution: When pruning thick branches, use a sharp tool to cut at a 45-degree Angle and apply wound healing agent or lime powder.

The landscape is unbalanced after pruning

The reason is that the differences in plant growth rates were not taken into account, resulting in some areas being either too dense or too sparse.

Solution: Draw a sketch before pruning, marking the branches to be retained and the parts to be cut off to ensure overall harmony.

Sixth, Precautions

Safety first

When pruning tall plants, wear a safety belt and avoid using unstable tools such as ladders.

Before pruning, check if the tools are sharp to prevent accidents caused by tool jamming.

Respect the growth characteristics of plants

Different plants have different tolerances to pruning. For instance, succulents need light pruning, while woody plants can be pruned more heavily.

Avoid large-scale pruning during the vigorous growth period of plants (such as the rainy season) to prevent wound infection.

Recording and Adjustment

Regularly record the pruning time, location and effect, summarize the experience and optimize the subsequent pruning plan.

Adjust the pruning frequency dynamically according to the growth condition of the plants to avoid mechanical operations.

Summary

The pruning of 3D artificial vertical gardens should be centered on "safety, science and aesthetics", combined with the growth characteristics of plants and landscape requirements, and adopt stratified and seasonal pruning methods. The key lies in:

Precise tool selection: Choose the appropriate tool based on the thickness of the branches and the pruning area.

Layered pruning technique: Gradually optimize the plant morphology from the bottom to the top.

Seasonal dynamic management: Adjust the pruning intensity according to the plant growth cycle.

Ultimately, achieve the long-term health and landscape sustainability of vertical gardens through scientific pruning.