Dormant Tree Pruning Tips

 

Dormant tree pruning has two distinct advantages over pruning when trees are active during the growing season. First, it’s easy to assess the general health of your trees because the interior of the tree is visible. In addition, at this time of year most of the tree’s energy is held in their root systems. Pruning now allows the tree to direct all that stored energy into the remaining health branches and limbs resulting in a more vigorous growth come spring.  Take advantage of some of these warmer late winter days and walk through your garden, paying particular attention to the ornamental crabapple, apple, pear trees as well as deciduous shade trees. At this point, you’re looking for broken branches or limbs, diseased branches, branches and twigs that crisscross or rub against one another.  Removing these twigs, branches and limbs will open the center of the tree allowing light and air to get through, improve the tree’s overall health and vigor and will lead to better yields on your fruit trees.

To accomplish your pruning task safely and effectively, you need a sharp set of pruners, a pair of long handled loppers and for higher limbs, a telescoping tree saw and pruner. Safety is key in any tree pruning effort which means, if you can’t reach a branch or limb while you’re standing on the ground, you’re better off hiring a professional arborist or garden landscape service.

For mature trees, plan to remove no more than one-third of the canopy. For trees that have been planted for five years or less, don’t remove more than twenty percent of the canopy. Start with the obvious candidates: damaged, broken limbs need to come down first. Small twigs and branches can be cut easily with hand pruners or loppers. For large branches that need to be removed, invest in a pruning saw and follow the three-step method.

Starting about a foot from the main branch, make the first cut upwards about halfway through the branch. Finish the cut from the top down to meet the first cut. This will remove most of the weight of the branch and prevent damage to the main trunk. The third cut is made downward just outside the collar, where the branch meets the trunk. Next look for water sprouts and sucker shoots. These are easy to identify because they tend to grow straight up. Sucker shoots originate from the base of the tree. Water sprouts spring up from a branch.

Water sprouts and water suckers are signs of stress such as drought, disease or root damage.

With crabapple, apple, pear trees we’re also looking for signs of fire blight. Fire blight gets its name from the burnt appearance of blossoms and branches. The flowers will turn brown and small branches and fruit will shrivel up and blacken. Fire blight is a bacterial disease, spread by wind, rain, snow or insect activity and occurs while the tree is in bloom. Now’s the time to remove these branches, while the bacteria is dormant. Another advantage of dormant pruning fire blight now is you don’t have to disinfect your pruners between cuts, as you must do during spring and summer pruning. With any of this information, if you’re not sure what to prune or which tool to use, stop in and talk to us. We’ll help you.   

A Check list for Starting Seeds

 

   

As of this writing, we’re roughly eleven weeks away from May 15, which is our last average frost date along the Front Range. As a rule, May 15 (May 30 if you garden at altitude) is the start of our frost-free growing season. That said, you should always be prepared to deal with the unpredictable spring weather. Some years we’ve been able to plant as early as Mother’s Day, other seasons it’s after Memorial Day. Using May 15 and the information on the back of the seed packets you’ve selected, will help determine the date you’ll want to start your seeds indoors.

Example: Peppers should be started eight to ten weeks before last spring frost. Ten weeks before May 15 is the week of March 7. Begin the process by choosing high quality, fresh seeds from local suppliers. Check the back of the seed packet. There should be a 2022 date printed on it. This is your assurance that the seed is fresh. When you open the seed packet you should find seeds that are uniform in size and color. Selecting premium seeds will give you better germination rates and stronger seedlings. Take time to read the seed packet. You’ll find valuable information regarding planting depth, spacing and days to emerge on the outside of the packet. 

In addition to seeds, you’ll need containers, domes, labels and seed starting medium. When it comes to containers, plastic seed starting trays and inserts are the more traditional method for starting plants from seed. You fill the plastic cells with seed starting mix, then plant seeds in them. This method works very well, and you can choose from several different inserts.  An alternative method would be to use peat-based containers. An advantage to growing in peat pots is once your seedlings are ready to be moved to the garden, peat pots can be planted directly in the ground, which reduces transplant shock. Domes help hold in moisture and warmth while your seeds are sprouting. Domes are available in two inch and seven-inch sizes. Once your seeds have sprouted and have two sets of true leaves, remove the domes to allow air circulation.

It’s important to label trays, so you’ll know the variety of seed you’ve planted. Labels are available in a wood or plastic, and they can follow your seedlings from the starting tray right into the garden. Now that you have selected your seed starting trays, inserts, and domes, pick up some seed starting mix. Use seed starter, not potting soil. Seed starter mixes are sterile and hold moisture well. You'll have much better results with seed germination. It's a good idea to moisten the seed starting medium before you sow your seed.

Heat mats keep the temperature of the seed starter consistent even as the grow room cools off in the evening. Keeping the soil at a constant temperature promotes faster germination, larger root systems and sturdier plants. 

Starting plants from seed is a great way to get the variety of vegetables and tomatoes you want. Using the right seed and seed starting supplies will help insure healthier, stronger transplants when it does come to time to move your seedlings out into the garden.