What You Need To Know About Pruning

Hedge Sheers, for formal hedges only!

 Pruning is an art and a science. There are some hard and fast rules but also a subjecting sense of doing what feels right. You can read books and books about pruning and get overwhelmed with information. If you have any woody shrubs or trees on your property, here are some basic rules to get you started. 

First, use sharp, clean tools. I good pair of by-pass hand pruners will go a long way. For larger branches, you may need a lopper. You can easily find these at any hardware store. It's best to sanitize your tools between plants so you don't spread any pathogens from plant to plant. One tool you should use sparingly are hedge sheers. The only woody plants you should ever use them on is formal hedges. They are really hard on plants and the only reason you can use them on formal hedges is because yews and boxwood are hardy enough to handle the abuse. 

Second, you can always prune out the three D's - dead, diseased or damaged. If you see this on your plant any time of year, go ahead and prune them off. 

2 Branch Collars

Third, always leave on the branch collar when you prune a branch off. The branch collar is the swelling of wood at the base of a  branch and it's natures way of keeping pathogens from getting into the larger branch or trunk. (see picture). 

Fourth, buy the appropriate sized plant for the space available. If you purchase a rhododendron that wants to be 15 feet high and plant it under your living room window, you will be fighting with it forever. Trying to keep a plant smaller than it wants to be requires more effort than most people are willing to put in. So, measure your space and buy a plant that won't need to be controlled for size. 

Finally your best bet is to always know the proper ID of your plant and then research it's specific pruning needs. You don't need to know how to prune pine trees if there are no pines on your property. You can just learn how to take care of the plants you have. 

Plants in general are hardier than we give them credit for. Most will over come a pruning mistake or two. So don't be afraid to take care of your plants. Educate yourself and then do it! For further reading...

https://extension.psu.edu/pruning-shrubs-and-trees

https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/counties/lackawanna/news/2015/to-prune-or-not-to-prune-it-all-depends-on-flowering

Gift Ideas for Gardeners

 So, I thought when my master gardener classes started, I'd blog about all the stuff I was learning. I am learning a lot but I just got swamped and now it's been too long since my last post. However, I feel like I'm starting to get caught up on life and have time to help you all out with your Christmas shopping. 

Please note, I make no money for this blog so my recommendations are not biased, it's just what I honestly thing would be great gifts for anyone with a green thumb. Yes, I'm kinda dropping hints for what I'd like for Christmas too. ha ha ha

First, tools. Anyone with a lawn to take care of needs certain things like a spade, leaf rake, soil knife and pruners. My advice it to check with anyone the recipient lives with to see what they already have and what needs replacing. Fiskars is an affordable brand available at most hardware stores but I'm really excited about my new higher end pruners I got from my mom for my birthday. 

Second, gloves. All gardeners need gloves, both thick leather gloves and the finer, rubber tipped ones. Even if they already have gloves, they will eventually wear out and need replacing. Honestly, you could put gloves in my stocking every year and I'd be happy. 

Third, books and magazines. We gardeners really need reading material to keep us occupied in the winter while our gardens rest. Anything from insect and plant identification books, to how too manuals, to garden travel memoirs ( I read Monty Don's book on French Gardens last winter and it was great.) Magazine subscriptions are also a great idea. Who doesn't love looking at magazines about their favorite hobby?

Finally, gift cards to local garden centers. You really can't go wrong with this one. We gardeners will just hold onto them till Spring and then pick out the plants we want. Actually, someone gave me a $50 gift card to a garden center once and I spent over half of it on mulch and dirt. It was awesome. 

Well, I hope that got you thinking. If you're a gardener and have some gift ideas in addition, please comment about them below!

Safety First!

It's ironic that tonight finds me writing about gardening safely. Earlier today found me doing several hours of hard work at church and I am sore. Over doing it isn't the only way to hurt yourself while gardening. All of the numerous health benefits of gardening, and there are many, might not be so beneficial if you're sick, sore, itching, or even in the hospital. So here are some of my best safety tips for enjoying your garden pain - free.

First, learn from my mistake and learn to pace yourself. I'll admit to being 38 years old and while that's not old, it's not 18 either. I've had to learn to do what I can handle without pulling muscles or exhausting myself. Projects don't need to all get done in one day.

Second, protect yourself from the sun. If you're pale like me, then you really should have a good sun hat and sunblock. No one likes sunburn.

Third, keep bug spray handy. Once last summer I forgot to bring bug spray with me to a job and I got so bit up by mosquitoes that I felt sick. Here in Pennsylvania, tick's carry a variety of diseases so bug spray is important.

Fourth, protect your back. Gardening inevitably requires some lifting and it's just too easy to put your back out. This past January I sprained my back bad enough that I can still remember the pain. No matter what your age, treat your back well and use good posture.

Fifth, respect your garden tools. Naturally, most people know to read instructions and wear eye protection while using power tools. However, even a sharp hoe or pitch fork can cause injury. I have an irrational fear of stabbing myself in the foot with my pitchfork while turning my compost pile. Be sure too, to have small children at a safe distance while using any sharp garden tools.

Finally, keep a water bottle handy. It's just too easy to loose track of time and get dehydrated while working outside. Having water handy is a big step toward staying healthy.

What about you? Do you have any suggestions or stories involving safety in the garden? Please post in the comments below.