Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Choosing the right time and the right tool
• Part 2 of 2: Pruning heather
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Heather plants, or calluna vulgaris, are popular and resilient flowering plants that require little maintenance. At the start of their blooming season, the heather plants will continue to grow from their old and withered stems unless pruned. By using the right tools for the job and shaping the plant, you too can have beautiful flowers all year round!

To step

Part 1 of 2: Choosing the right time and the right tool

1. Prune annually in early spring after the last frost. Heather plants bloom in both winter and summer, but it is recommended to keep the earlier bloom all winter to protect the roots. Start pruning after there is no longer a chance of frost so that the stems of the heather are not damaged.
   • Summer bloomers can be pruned in the fall if you live in a warmer climate.
   • Winter heather is cut after it has finished flowering, while summer bloomers should be cut before they start to grow.
2. Use pruning shears for smaller heather. Choose scissors with a spring, so that your hands are less stressed. If you want more control over which flowers you cut, hold the flower with your non-dominant hand and cut it with the pruning shears.
   • Make sure the scissors are sharp so you can make a clean cut.
3. Form large beds of heather with a hedge trimmer. Long-handled scissors are best suited for this. Hold the hedge trimmer by the ends of the handle for the easiest use. Open and close the scissors so that it makes a snapping sound with each cut.
   • Hedge trimmers are available at garden centers and DIY stores.
   • Wear gardening gloves when working with a hedge trimmer for a better grip.
4. Before and after each plant, disinfect the shears with rubbing alcohol. Clean the scissors with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol. Repeating this process before and after each plant prevents the spread of disease or fungi.
   • You can also make a cleaning solution with nine parts water and one part chlorine bleach. Let the scissors soak for 30 minutes before drying and using them.
   • Although heather plants are resistant to most common plant diseases, it is still good practice to clean your garden tools.

Part 2 of 2: Pruning heather

1. Remove old flowers that are withered and yellow. The old flowers are located on the top and edges of the plant and are attached to green stems. Anything that is brown or yellow should be removed from the plant so that the new flowers have room to grow.
2. Make angled cuts about an inch below the old flower stems. The old flowers look dry and withered on top of the green stems. Hold the end of the dead flowers with one hand and make an oblique cut with your hand to reduce the risk of fungal infections or disease. You can remove up to a third of the plant this way.
   • The angle you cut doesn't have to be precise as long as water can run off the end of the stem.
   • Annual pruning prevents a bare spot in the center of the plant.
3. Do not prune in the woody part of the heather, otherwise it will not grow back. Prune only the green stems of the plant. If you cut too far into brown and bare wood, flowers will not regenerate from the stem.
   • If the plant has a bare spot, no new flowers will develop in that area. Replace the entire plant if you want one that blooms whole.
4. Lift the tops of the plant to trim the undergrowth and prevent spreading. Lift the tops of the plant with one hand, while cutting the stems with the other. Plants that grow too close together will compete for resources, producing fewer flowers and potentially harming the plant.
   • If you don't want the heather plants to invade other plants, cut the parts with wood to keep them from growing in that direction.

Tips

• Heather plants can be pruned to any shape, but keep in mind that the healthy leaves or stems do not need to be pruned.

Warnings

• Bare spots and stems cut down to the brown wooden base will stop blooming. Should it come to that, it is best to replace the plant entirely.

Necessities

• Pruning shears
• Hedge trimmer
• Garden gloves