Tips

Pruning your trees & shrubs

Regular maintenance is essential for a healthy and attractive landscape.  Removing dead, damaged or diseased limbs from your trees keeps them healthy, removing lower branches allows you to walk and mow under them without risking your health.  Trimming shrubs keeps them thicker and to the size you want.  Pruning can help restore vigor to older overgrown trees and shrubs, as well as improving appearance.  Often when people talk to us about rejuvenating their landscape, removing old overgrown plants, we find they can be saved with proper pruning.  Fruit trees will produce more and larger fruit after being pruned properly.  Keeping your trees and shrubs looking great is a task that you can easily do yourself with a few basic tools.  

Tools:

  • Use pruners on branches ½ inch in diameter and smaller.
  • Loppers are for larger jobs from ½-2”. The longer handles give you longer reach and better leverage.
  • Use pruning saws for branches over 2” and a chainsaw on the big stuff.  Never reach over your head to cut a branch, use a ladder for safety.

Resist the temptation to try to cut through a branch that is too big for the tool.  It can cause you to tear or injure your plants and break a good pair of pruners or loppers.

When You Should Prune:

In general the best time to prune is during the dormant season, December thru March.  The exceptions are spring flowering trees and shrubs which should be pruned just after they bloom in the spring so the flower buds are not removed.  Evergreens can be pruned any time of year, but the best time is late winter or late summer.  Prune dead, injured, or diseased limbs as soon as you notice the damage.  After pruning diseased plants disinfect your tools with alcohol to prevent spreading the disease to other plants.    Pruning techniques vary, depending on what you are pruning and why you are pruning. Here are some good rules of thumb:

  • The sharper the tool, the better. Using dull or rusty tools can harm the plant rather than help it.
  • Prune tree branches by making a cut through the bark on the underside of the branch then cut from the top to prevent tearing the bark on the trunk.
  • Make your cut slightly ½-1” out from the trunk allowing the collar to form to help the tree heal naturally.
  • When removing diseased limbs, destroy them immediately; do not use the leaves for mulch, as that could spread the disease.
  • Many shrubs benefit from rejuvenation pruning, cut them to within a foot of the ground to control their size or fullness.  
  • To keep shrubs full at the bottom remove up to 1/3 of the oldest stems allowing new growth to fill in.

My mother always said when pruning, if your think you took too much you probably didn’t take enough.  If you are not sure when or how to prune your plants ask the experts at Forever Green.  

Do you love your yard?

Tips to transform your yard into your own paradise.

Do you find yourself wishing for more?  More beauty, more space, more fun and more time, don’t be discouraged, read on to learn some easy ways to turn your yard into your own personal paradise.

The first step to truly loving your yard is to answer this simple question:        

What do you want?

1.  Is gardening, getting your hands dirty planting, weeding & caring for your garden is your idea of a good time?  If not skip forward to #2.

            If you love to garden consider planting a vegetable garden this year.  Nothing beats fresh grown produce from your own garden.  It can be as easy as a few containers or a 4’x4’ raised bed.  Watch for our article on growing your own vegetables, and register for our seminar Growing your own vegetables 101 during our spring open house April 15th - 17th. 

            Brighten up your home with annuals in borders, gardens or containers for season long color.  Perennials blooms can last for a few weeks or as even all summer and save time and money by returning each year.  Consider more than the blooms when you choose your flowers.  Colorful foliage and different forms add interest to your garden.  Choose from our many new colors and varieties and of course your old favorites.  Learn more at our Spring Open House seminars on container gardening and new and exciting plants. 

2.   Do you love a beautiful well-maintained lawn and landscape; you know the one all the neighbors aspire to?  Not your thing either, try #3

            A well-designed and maintained landscape can make your home stand out in the crowd.  Your landscaping should compliment the style of your house and reflect your lifestyle and use plants that will thrive in the conditions in your yard.  Pruning the right way at the right time increases the health and beauty of your trees and shrubs.  Proper care also reduces disease and insect problems and extends the life of your landscape.  Learn more about when and how to prune and fertilize your plants at our caring for your landscape seminars.

Using the right products at the right time is the key to a beautiful lawn.  Bluegrass lawns need attention, regular mowing, fertilization and observation.  This will help to prevent  weeds, and control insects and disease problems when they occur.  Make sure your mower blades are sharp and don’t cut off more than 1/3rd for the best results.  If your soil is compacted or heavy clay we can offer advice on how to improve the quality to help it hold water and nutrients so it will stay greener.

If you love to care for your own landscape but just aren’t sure where to begin we have the answer.  Forever Green garden center offers supplies, tools, advice, and seminars for every season. 

3.   Do you want a place to enjoy your family and friends?  Still too much activity then #4 might be for you.

If you need more space move outdoors!  Create a patio perfect for everything from a casual barbeque to a formal dinner.  Select the best design and material for your style and home.  Make it big enough for your primary use and design it so for larger gatherings your guests have access into the yard.  Add lighting to set the mood and plantings to provide a feeling of privacy and hide storage and less attractive areas. 

Consider the kids when you are planning your landscape.  If you have kids or like to be active outdoors plan your trees and other features so that you will have open areas to play.  A master plan is a great way to look at the layout of the whole yard before you start a project.

4.   Do you long for a place to sit back, relax and enjoy the sounds of the birds, as you close your eyes and drift off into …………

Create a place to hide away and unwind after a busy day.  Even a 12x12 slab can be transformed into your own 144 square feet of paradise.  Clean off unused items and screen it with some landscaping.  Dress it up with flowers or even the relaxing sound of water Turn an unused corner into a private retreat where you can relax. Using shrubs or vines to create blooming walls, a tree canopying over you for a green roof and your favorite chair will make your paradise complete.

5.  Want to stay inside and watch TV?  Sorry we don’t have any help for that.

If you’re looking for more from your yard the first step is to call Forever Green. Our designers work with you to create a landscape that you’ll love to come home to.  For do-it-yourselfers visit our garden center where we provide the widest selection of quality plants and products as well as the design services and advice to help your project succeed.

Testimonials

  • Travis and his crew did a wonderful job.

    Everything looks beautiful!

    - Penny