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Okay, spring has sprung,
the pruners are burning in your hands, and you look at all the different
plants and ask. “How do I know what to prune ... when to prune ... and how
much to prune? And do I even need to prune?” If you’re asking those same
questions, here are a few tips to help you along.
If you have left over
dead foliage on perennials and ornamental grasses, cut it off, and get rid
of the old foliage. This is important to do now, before the new growth
begins to appear. It’s also important as some insects and diseases can
over-winter in this stuff, so just get rid of it and get a cleaner start in
spring.
If you need to limb up
lower branches of trees, go ahead and do this now. Don’t forget that this
can actually be done anytime during the year.
If you see dead
branches, go ahead and get rid of those now. Again, removing dead branches
can be done anytime during the year, and should be taken care of on a
regular basis.
If you have over grown
evergreens like hollies and junipers, Japanese yews and boxwood, prune these
now, before they start to regrow. Many can also be pruned again after the
new growth hardens off if needed.
If you have flowering
plants that have left over seed heads, nip those off now, but be careful not
to cut back too much. Here’s a good general rule of thumb to follow for
pruning flowering trees and shrubs…for the most part, if it flowers in the
spring, prune it AFTER it finishes flowering. If it flowers in the summer
(after June1st), prune it in the spring. If you’re still not sure when to
prune what, email me and I’ll help you out. ronwilson@clearchannel.com.
Speaking of flowering
plants, if you see a plant blooming yellow right now, its either a witch
hazel or cornelian cherry dogwood. This is the dogwood. Great early yellow
flowers, wonderful bright red large fruit, glossy green foliage, maroon fall
colors, and very hardy. Cornus mas, or Cornelian Cherry Dogwood. It should
be used more in the landscapes for a smaller ornamental tree. |
