It’s time! 10 things to do and avoid as you prune your trees and bushes

It’s that time of year: pruning time. For several reasons, late winter to early spring is the best time to tackle this task for many trees and shrubs:

• With leaves gone, it’s much easier to see the shape and form of deciduous species, which helps you see where to make cuts. This, in turn, should boost your confidence that you are pruning correctly.
• Wounds get time to close and heal. Healing and minimal sap loss, before disease and insects become more active, reduce the spread of pathogens.
• Dormant-season pruning invigorates plants, and flushes of growth have a chance to harden off a bit before the stress of summer sets in.
• Pruning before the heat of summer is easier on the plants and you.

For more guidelines on what and when to prune, check the calendar at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension:  bit.ly/3UxYrw1

Here are 10 things to do — and 10 to avoid — when pruning.

DO

1. Know your plant species, its growth habit and idiosyncrasies — for instance, on what season’s growth it produces flowers or fruit.
2. Have the right tools for the job, in good working order.
3. Use the proper tool to make the correct cut: hand pruners for small cuts, a looper for medium, a pruning saw for larger branches. This will help ensure that you make clean cuts and do not damage your equipment.
4. Take time while pruning to step back and get a better view of your work.
5. Anticipate the results of your cuts: How will each cut affect growth?
6. Remove large limbs in three parts. First remove a third to reduce weight. Then undercut the next section to keep the bark from ripping when the section falls. Make the final cut from the top.
7. Remove inward growing branches and crossing branches to open up the canopy, increasing airflow and light. This aims to improve plant health.
8. Remove dead and dying branches, as well as branches injured by insects, disease or impact.
9. After finishing, stand back and survey your work. Adjust as needed. Sleep on it and take another look the next day. You may have missed something.
10. Know your limitations. Consult a certified arborist if the job is too difficult for your comfort and abilities. Remember that chainsaws and ladders don’t mix: Leave that to the pros.

DON’T

1. Start without a plan. Spur-of-the-moment, indiscriminate hacking will not serve your plant or your landscape well.
2. Procrastinate. Late winter to early spring is the best time to prune many species (but not all of them).
3. Be afraid to prune. It’s not neurosurgery (but it does require some expertise and understanding of the basics).
4. Prune for the sake of pruning. Prune with a purpose. Know your goal.
5. Hurry. Take time to execute your plan and use proper technique.
6. Cut off this season’s flowers. Know your plant’s blooming cycle so you maximize, not minimize, flowers.
7. Make improper cuts, remove the bark collar or leave unsightly stubs. These mistakes will impede wound healing. Well-maintained pruners are important to help ensure smooth, clean cuts.
8. Top trees. Prune to maintain the tree’s natural form.
9. Use wound paint or treat pruning cuts.
10. Prune more than 25% of a tree’s branches or foliage in one year.

And one more thing (or two)

If you are interested in learning about orchids, don’t miss “How to Care for Orchids,” a class led by Chesapeake master gardener Helene Haluska. One participant will take an orchid home. No registration required. 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 28. Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Outreach and Innovation Library, 2726 Border Road, Chesapeake. 757-382-1890 or chesapeakelibrary.org.

How were your garden and landscape experiences this season? Try something different or new? What worked or didn’t? Any surprises? Write in and let us know.

Send questions to wkspen@gmail.com