Written by Chris Lambton and published on https://www.fiskars.com/
Pruning is an essential gardening skill. When you prune correctly, you encourage healthy growth and flowering (in the case of flowering plants), as well as good looks. For most shrubs and trees, it helps to prune at the right time. Some are best pruned in winter; some right after flowering.
Depending on the variety, trees need pruning at least every year or so. Regular pruning keeps the branches separated, allowing light to pass through to the other plants in your yard. In the case of a large tree, you may want to hire an arborist to do the pruning for you.
Backyard Oasis: Pruning Tips
Everyone has a spot in his or her yard that is underutilized or that Mother Nature has taken over. You can take this space back and turn it into a backyard oasis with the help of these pruning tips.
1. Start with the high areas and work your way down. For hard to reach limbs, the chain drive extendable pole saw and pruner is perfect for the job. It makes cutting high branches easier and faster with 3x the power. It also has the ability to extend from 7′-16′, so it can reach high branches without needing a ladder. It has both a steel pruner that can cut branches up to 1-1/4″ thick and a saw for thicker branches.The best time to remove tree branches and limbs is in late fall through late winter while the tree is dormant. This helps trees from getting diseases and pests.
2. For lower limbs, the always-dependable PowerGear 2™ 32″ loppers will get the job done. This is why they have a reserved spot in all our work trucks. The PowerGear technology gives you three times more power on every cut and will power through thick branches that traditional loppers can’t. I love the aluminum construction that provides strength while cutting down on weight.
3. Next, the PowerGear 2™ Pruning Shears make quick work of smaller branches. This powerful hand tool will help you clean up the plants and overgrown bushes around your yard. Make cuts at a 45 degree angle to keep your plants healthy and spur new growth.
4. Round out all of the branches and twigs in your yard by shaping and pruning any stray twigs in your hedge shears with the PowerGear2™ Hedge Shears. The gears on this hedge shears will give you the leverage you need to power through your stems without a heavy tool in your hands. Keep thebottom of your hedges slightly wider than the top of the hedge to let sunlight reach the lower parts of the plant. Step back and take a look at the shape your hedge is taking from time to time to make sure you don’t remove too much growth.
This area has now gone from overgrown and neglected to a beautifully manicured space.
Original post here https://www.fiskars.com/en-us/gardening-and-yard-care/ideas-and-how-tos/pruning-and-trimming/prune-a-backyard-oasis.
