It's pruning season in my garden - time to cut back the perennials and prune the fruit trees. Time to clean up all of the fallen leaves that got snowed in. Although it's messy work, I love getting back into the garden. I'd rather do yardwork than housework any day, especially in the spring. It feels so good to work outside in the sunshine and wake up with muscles that are just stiff enough to remind you of what you accomplished yesterday. Plus, the cleaning I do outside stays done much longer!
I usually start with my perennial beds because I have bulbs coming up. I've learned from past experience that it isn't any fun to clean leaves and such out of beds when the bulbs are already up. They grow right through the leaves and you have to pick them off one by one. T-e-d-i-o-u-s. It's much faster to do it as soon as the snow is off and the bulbs are just peeking out of the ground.
Some of the perennials are already putting on their new leaves, so it's the perfect time to remove the old foliage. Taking a few minutes to trim off whatever you can't rake out will give you a nice clean bed that will take care of itself until you need to weed.
Then I'll move on to the fruit trees. That's today's project. Jake and I will prune while our small fry will gather up sticks. They'll pile them in neat stacks so we can haul them away easily...ha ha ha! Who am I kidding? Usually they drag a bunch of them off because sticks are so fun to play with. We'll find them stuck in the mud all around the yard. Oh well, I used to do the same thing.
If you've got perennials or fruit trees, now's a good time to start cutting things back. Pick a sunny day and head out into the yard. Spring is finally here!
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3 comments:
Sweet! This is just what I need - a weekly chore list of what to do in my yard. So, how exactly do I prune my apple tree? By the way, how are you feeling these days?
I am really nervous to prune my apple trees-- I think just two of them really need it. Could I bug you one of these days to show me where to cut??
Amy - I'm feeling better, not great, but much improved. The fresh air and sunshine help a lot. As for your apple tree...do you know anyone down there who prunes their own? The easiest way to learn is to watch someone prune and then give it a try. I learned from my dad.
You'll want to take anything dead, dying, damaged, or branches that rub on each other or cross. Try to give it an open shape so it isn't too shady in the middle. After your tree is shaped, you trim off all of the suckers and watersprouts that grew last year. I trim them off, leaving the bulgy part on the tree because that should be where the flower buds will come from (the older wood). It's much easier to show than tell! Sometimes the Extension service does demos - it's worth calling to find out.
Julie - you're close enough I could come look at your tree. I can offer my two bits, and if I don't know, I'll ask my dad.
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