Tips for Dormant Tree and Shrub Pruning

The best time of year for pruning fruit and landscape trees and most shrubs is during the dormant season (late winter to early spring). Dormant-season pruning is beneficial because it reduces the risk of pest and disease issues affecting the pruning cuts (which are wounds that can allow entry of disease-causing organisms). Dormant season pruning also makes it easier to see the structure and shape of deciduous trees (without leaves obscuring the view), which allows better visualization of the desired outcome. 

Tree pruning is important and necessary for several reasons. Pruning helps develop strong limbs and a studier structure. Pruning improves tree overall health by removing dead and diseased limbs and reducing the risk of storm damage. Pruning protects the value of your trees and increases their longevity.   

Pruning while the tree is dormant 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 crabapple, apple, pear trees and other deciduous 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 and improve the tree’s overall health and vigor.   

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, the plan is 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. 

 

For large branches that need to be removed, invest in a pruning saw and follow the three-step method. Starting 8" to 10" 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. They’re indicators of soil compaction, loss of root structure, drought, inadequate moisture.    

 

Although fruit trees can be pruned in the spring and summer months, pruning in the winter has several advantages. Both for the tree, and the pruner! For starters, with their leaves gone for the season, branches are easy to see and cut. That is certainly not the case when trying to prune back a full canopy of leaves in spring or summer.  

But even more importantly, because fruit trees are dormant in the winter, there is little stress to a tree when it is cut back. This allows the tree to conserve and store more energy for flowering and fruiting. 

 

Know your shrubs, before you prune. Exceptions to dormant season pruning include early spring flowering shrubs such as lilacs, Rose of Sharon, Weigela, Forsythia. If you prune these now, you’ll remove any flowers.  

You can prune summer flowering shrubs such as butterfly bush, blue mist spirea and hardy hibiscus in late winter or early spring, because they bloom on this year’s growth or “new wood”. In other words, they haven’t set flower buds yet.  

Now's the time to prune them hard.

 

 

Pruning during the dormant season—when trees are not actively growing—minimizes stress on the tree and reduces the risk of disease transmission or pest infestations. This means stronger, healthier trees that can better withstand seasonal storms and environmental challenges. Dormancy pruning also enhances tree structure, improves safety by removing weak or hazardous branches, and promotes vigorous new growth in spring.  

 

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 Guide to Starting Tomato and Vegetable Seeds Indoors

  

Thursday March 20, 2025, marks the Vernal equinox, the first day of spring and with spring a month away from today, now’s the time to get your seed starting supplies ready.    

There are many advantages to starting your warm weather crops such as tomato and peppers indoors. You can get a head start on the growing season, you can choose from a wide range of varieties, and you can control the quality of your plants from seed to harvest.   

When it comes to starting seeds indoors in the spring, knowing when to start is one of the most important elements. Begin by understanding the hardiness zone you garden in. Sometimes called growing zones, USDA zone hardiness maps are based on winter temperature averages over a thirty-year period. The intent is to help gardeners make informed decisions regarding which plants will perform well in their geographical area.  

While primarily aimed at trees, shrubs, perennials, knowing your hardiness zone is useful for your vegetable garden as well. The 5 zones represented in Colorado are 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The mountains are predominantly Zone 4, the fruit growing area near Grand Junction is 6-7 and the Front Range predominantly Zone 4-5. Longmont Plant Hardiness Zone is 5b and Estes Park is Zone 5a.   

A normal growing season is 146 days (about 5 months). This number assumes that season extenders such as frost cloths or cold frames are not used. As a rule, May 15 (May 30 if you garden at altitude) is the start of our frost-free growing season. Some years we’ve been able to plant as early as Mother’s Day, other seasons it’s after Memorial Day. October 1st is the average first Fall frost. The point is you should always be prepared to deal with our unpredictable spring weather.  

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 2025 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 a seed starting mix, then plant seeds in them. This method works very well, and you can choose from several different inserts.    

 

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 seeds you’ve planted. Labels are available in 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 a seed starter, not potting soil or garden soil. A seed starter mix is sterile and holds 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.    

For quicker germination and stronger root systems, buy a heat mat. Heat mats keep the seed starting soil temperature constantly warm, 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.  

An alternative method to trays and inserts would be to use peat-based containers, peat pellets or grow plugs.

Seedlings started in these products can be planted directly in the ground without disturbing the root system, greatly reducing transplant shock.    

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

Next week, we’ll talk about how to care for your seedlings once they’ve sprouted.