Shear Madness

March is notorious for madness. Madness as in dribbling shooting and tournament bracket madness. March is also a time for “shear” madness. Last chance dormant pruning for healthier better branched trees and shrubs. When pruning deciduous plants when dormant there is little or no disease and insect activity. Without foliage the job is easier, more efficient and more accurate. Pruning deciduous plants when dormant makes them grow more vigorously in spring. Dormant pruning reduces the number of buds and foliage to share the food stored in the roots over winter as the plant goes to work in spring. Conversely summer and fall pruning reduces the number of leaves to produce food stored in the roots for the following season’s surge. An exception to these general pruning rules is that if the plant has been well maintained and doesn’t require major neglected pruning with  spring bloomers like Cherry trees or Forsythia it may be good to wait until right after blooming. Enjoy the blooms and then exercise “Shear Madness” later. If you want some “heducational” instruction on pruning you might want to get your tickets to our pruning seminar in April at Flowerland. Here is the link to order your tickets so you can “tailor your plants!” http://www.myflowerland.com/events/