Prune Shrubs and Trees Now for a Carefree Summer

by Mark Wolfe

Pruning shrubs and trees while they are dormant has several benefits. Pruning in dormancy allows plants to focus their stored energy on fewer a smaller area, providing a robust burst of beautiful new growth in spring. Deciduous trees and shrubs expose their branch structure at this time of year, making it easy to see damaged or mis-directed branches that have to go. Overgrown shrubs, when reduced during their dormancy, often require far less grooming throughout the growing season than those left until summer. Now is the time to take a walk with your pruning tools and get ahead of the game.

 

Trees

Inspect all of the trees on your property. Remove dead, diseased or damaged branches that may pose a safety risk. Also watch for limb encroachment. Branches that grow toward buildings or may interfere with roadways, driveways or walkways should be removed. The WORX 10” Electric Pole Saw is the perfect tool for the job. Use the saw without the pole to remove low branches. Attach the extension pole and reach branches up to twelve feet without climbing a ladder. Make the cuts just outside the swollen area where the branch meets the trunk. A clean cut in the proper location will heal rapidly, minimizing the chances for pests to invade.

 

Hedges

Moderately overgrown hedges may be reduced in size by up to thirty percent. Severely overgrown or shabby hedges may be cut to within six inches of the ground in order to re-establish themselves from the energy stored in their expansive root systems. Young hedges, or those that have had replacement shrubs patched in should be pruned at this time to establish a smooth, consistent contour. The small 10” blade on the WORX Pole Saw, when the saw is removed from the pole, maneuvers well for removing thick branches in tight spaces.

 

Specimen Shrubs and Trees

Most summer flowering shrubs, such as reblooming roses, crape myrtles and paniculata hydrangeas may be pruned at this time. Fruit trees may be pruned at this time to improve branch structure or to allow more sunlight to penetrate the canopy. Look at shrubs in the landscape with an eye toward size and scale, as well as deep, healthy foliage. Shrubs which receive regular shearing may require “pocket” pruning (thinning, by hand pruning, of ten to fifteen percent of the outer foliage layer) to increase light penetration to the center of the plant that will stimulate deeper foliage development.

 

A Word of Caution

While most trees and shrubs can be pruned at this time with no ill effects, there are a couple of groups that are best left alone until a later date. Spring bloomers like flowering cherries, lilacs, forsythia, azaleas, “mophead” hydrangeas and others should be pruned after they finish blooming, because they flower on last year’s growth. Pruning them immediately before bloom time, or even too late in summer, eliminates the blooms. The other group of plants that may be best left alone in late winter or spring are the heavy “bleeders.” These (mostly trees) have heavy sap flows at this time of year, which when exposed by pruning will coat the trunk with sweet or sticky sap that can lead to insect or disease infestation. Birch, dogwood, elm, maple and walnut fit in the bleeder category. Prune these trees in late summer.

 

Enjoy Your Yard

Prune now to take advantage of favorable conditions for your trees and shrubs, AND so that you can spend those gorgeous spring and summer days enjoying the fruits of your labor: a healthy, lush, well groomed landscape.

Learn more about the WORX pole saw and other WORX tools to help with pruning at worx.com

Category : Lawn & Garden
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