As we mentioned before, pruning is an activity that must be carried out by anyone who wants to have a beautiful garden. For this reason, we must know what is the best time to do this, because although it is an activity that gives beauty to our plants if we do it wrong, we will make a disaster!
Pruning consists of the removal of some parts of a plant with the aim to improve its growth and its aesthetic aspect, as well as its health. In general, it is performed for ornamental purposes and/or for obtaining a better development of the branches and leaves.
When do you need to prune? This answer varies depending on the kind of plant you have. In general, pruning needs are based on 2 reasons:
– To remove dead parts: When a branch or a leaf dies, you can cut them off;
– To remove sick parts: When there are damaged or deformed plants, it is best to remove them;
Also, there are other reasons like improving the shape of the tree or giving it room to grow bigger. It has to be highlighted that in this case it should be done in winter when the buds are still closed and the new growth hasn´t started yet.
The time in which we decide to prune will determine many things, but in general terms, it will determine the beauty of our plant, its health and if it is fruit-bearing, it will also determine if it will bear good fruit.
Winter is also considered a good time for prickly pear cactus. Why? Because there are no leaves, pruning weakens the plant less, which is why its capacities are maintained in a better state. For example, photosynthetic capacity!
In addition, pruning in winter brings with it a series of advantages that we should not overlook, such as, for example, that it is easier to prune because there are not many leaves, there are fewer things to do in the garden, it is an excellent time to prune plants.
So When Should We Prune Prickly Pear?
Late summer through early winter, September through December, is the peak season (flowers & fruits) for Prickly Pears. At this time it’s best to prune them, so try to do the pruning when they do not have fruit, it is what is known as an inactive season.
To make sure that you don’t interrupt the growth of this fruit, it would be wise not to prune during the peak season, which is September through December. Pruning in this season is also counterproductive because it will require the cactus to regrow its branches and leaves, which means that it will use all of its energy on regrowth instead of producing fruit.
Why Prune Our Prickly Pear?
It allows us to have some control over the way our plant is shaped and that is important because we want a beautiful garden. Imagine if its leaves kept growing too much and it all becomes unattractive or messy.
In many cases, hedges with shapes need pruning to maintain that characteristical geometric shape.
Pruning is an essential part of growing and helps eliminate undesirable suckers or branches that may prevent a plant from its intended growth.
Every gardener knows that damages caused by a diseased apple can contaminate an entire basket of fruit. With pruning, we are able to clean up our plant and make it healthier. If one part of a tree is damaged, the rest of it will be infected and not grow at its full capacity.
So don’t think about it anymore and start pruning. Of course, if it’s the right time!
What are the signs of Signal that Your Prickly Pear Needs to Prune?
The following signs signal problems and the need for pruning:
- The strong inclination of the trunk;
- Growth stop;
- The appearance of an uncharacteristic yellow tint, haze;
- Distribution of dry or wet spots;
- Decrease in turgor (skin’s elasticity), and wilting.
- If the plant is sick, it is impossible to delay pruning. If the procedure is needed to cope with excess growth, it is better to carry it out in the spring or summer.
Way to Prune Prickly Pear Cactus
Check for diseased portions of your cactus
To do this, you’ll want to check for diseased portions of your cactus first. This is the most important reason for deciding to prune. If you catch a diseased portion before it spreads throughout the whole plant, you can save a cactus from being completely destroyed. It’s easy enough to make sure that all parts of your cactus are healthy: just look for anything abnormal about its color or texture, any discolored leaves or spots on its body, or any other indicator that something’s wrong with your prickly pear. Once you’ve found a diseased portion, you can decide whether or not to cut out that section of your cactus and if necessary, trim off any smaller pieces from around the diseased region so that they don’t spread any farther than they already have.
Fungi and bacteria are the most common type of diseases on the cacti face. They can appear as discoloration on the plant or growths on its stems and leaves, or as soft spots on its surface.
Dry rot or fungal growth are often clear, visual signs that something is amiss with your plant and should be treated immediately. The great news is that if you catch it quickly enough, you may only have to remove the affected part—you don’t have to throw out the whole plant!
Remove dried or dead segments
It can be tempting to cut away any brown or dead segments of the cactus, but this is not usually necessary. It’s best to simply let these parts dry out and fall off on their own. If the plant is aesthetically displeasing, you can trim it down to just the healthy green tissue, though this will take some time.
Plan to cut back overgrowth as needed
Bending and breaking can be the results of overgrowth in cacti. If left unattended, the plant will put too much strain on its branches and other parts, potentially causing it to snap or break. To avoid this, pruning back the plant’s growth can help bring things back to a more balanced state. This can also prevent certain plants from becoming disproportionate, especially if they’re located in places with high winds or severe weather that could cause them to become top-heavy.
As a general rule of thumb, you should always make sure your plants are situated in areas that are safe for them to grow in. However, when something does go wrong with a plant and it needs to be brought back down to size, here are some tips for helping with this task:
1) Start by trimming out any dead or damaged leaves or stems from the plant’s overgrowth so you have a clear starting point.
2) Decide how much you want to take off by looking at the overall health and condition of the plant—you want to cut back enough so that it is healthy again but not so much that you’ll be permanently damaging it.
3) Cut right above a node on the stem—this is where new growth will come from.
Shape your cacti to accommodate its setting
Cacti are just about as diverse as the people who grow them. Some prefer to let their succulents run rampant and wild, while others prefer a more controlled look with the plants appropriately trimmed.
Sometimes a cactus grows in an unbalanced way that makes it look messy. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as when it grows up or out of a pot that is too small or when it’s placed in an area with too much shade or too little water. To get your cactus back on track, consider pruning it to its preferred shape. You can do so by removing the excess growth; this will allow you to shape the remaining growth into a more pleasing shape.
Pruning a Pad of Prickly Pear 
Locate the pads to be cut back
When you’re planning to do some pruning on a prickly pear, you have to be careful not to remove too much of a pad at once.
The best way to approach pruning is by knowing which parts of the plant you want to keep and which ones you want to cut back or take away entirely. For example, if you want more compact growth for your plants, then you’ll likely want to cut away pieces of stem that are lanky and stretching out from the main plant body.
How do you prune a prickly pear cactus?
When you see a cactus in the wild, it might not look as though it has anything to prune. But if you have a prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) in your own home, you’ll likely want to do some shaping. The most important thing to remember when pruning this plant is that you’re dealing with a succulent, which means it needs very little water and is therefore very susceptible to rot. So be sure to use a sharp knife or scissors, and trim only when your cactus is completely dry (and don’t forget to wash your hands afterward).
When trimming a prickly pear cactus, start with the pads that are too big for the pot. You might notice that there’s already where there’s a natural line between one pad and another.
For smaller pads that aren’t in danger of touching the soil (which would cause rot), simply cut them off at the base at an angle to remove them.
Why is my prickly pear cactus growing long and skinny?
Your cactus is growing long and thin, or even spindly, for a reason. It’s reaching for the light that it needs to flourish—so you need to find a way to give it the light it deserves.
The cause of your cactus’ lean, slender growth is not just a lack of adequate sunlight. In fact, if you moved your cactus into a brighter place, it would not immediately respond with lush growth. It would probably keep its shape until the roots adjusted to their new location.