Tag Archive | Pruning
Why Winter Pruning Is Healthy For Most Trees
Our arborists don’t take the winter off. In fact, winter is one of our busiest seasons for tree pruning. That’s because deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves) are dormant in the winter. Removing branches during pruning wounds the tree, and winter dormancy acts as nature’s anesthesia. Pruning wounds have the rest of the winter […]
Summer Shrub Care
The dog days of summer are upon us. I’ve never taken the time to research where that term came from, but I suspect that it refers to the way our furry friends find a cool, shady place to lie down and rest on these hot, humid days. We humans could take a page from the […]
June Is For Pruning Conifers
June is usually when conifer (cone bearing) trees and shrubs are ready to be pruned. This year may be an exception, however. Our cold, wintery May has delayed many plants’ growth and flowering. And it is growth that determines whether conifers need to be pruned at all. This year, let the tree or shrub tell […]
Start The New Year With Nicely Pruned Trees
Weather conditions control tree growth. They react to temperature and light, and cold temperatures, short days, as well as winter dormancy provide ideal pruning conditions. You could say, if fall is for planting then winter is for pruning. That doesn’t mean going out with your chainsaw and starting to cut just because it’s winter. It […]
Check New Growth Before Pruning Evergreens
June and July are the best months in which to prune evergreens. That’s when new growth forms. However, like everything in nature, there are no absolutes, no definitive dates to start pruning. New growth forms at the ends of branches. When the new needles or leaves first appear, they are a lighter green than the […]
Pruning Spring Flowering Trees & Shrubs
Spring’s spectacular display of color is coming to an end. Granted, later blooming plants will continue to show color to some extent but the green curtain will close on trees and shrubs like dogwoods, cherries, rhododendrons and lilacs. They will now be attractive foliage plants until next spring,. Throughout the winter and spring, I’ve been […]
Spring Tree & Shrub Pruning
The calendar says spring is here and leaf buds are starting to swell. To prune or not to prune. That is the question. And, a question for which there is no pat answer. A number of factors enter into the decision of whether to prune or not. The most basic is the species of tree […]
Pruning Flowering Shrubs
Now that most spring flowering shrubs have finished blooming, it’s OK to prune them. An arborist’s best practice, however, is to prune only to meet specific objectives, not just because they’ve finished blooming. Objectives may include reducing the height or girth or removing interfering shoots. Shoots may be cascading over a sidewalk or driveway. This […]
June Is The Time To Prune Evergreens
June is the time when many evergreens have finished their new growth, which means you can prune them without worrying about additional new growth. The best way to be sure they are ready to prune is to watch the needle or leaf color at the end of the branches. New conifer needles are lighter green […]
Winter Pruning Is Good For Trees
While the cold and snow mean more time inside for many of us, our arborists are hard at work outside because winter is the best time to prune trees. Here’s why: • While we add layers of warm clothes to go outside, deciduous trees shed their leaves and spend the winter standing outside naked. This […]