Early-season cutting leads to healthier plants

    The old adage states that April showers bring May flowers. The warmer weather also brings out the leaves on the trees and the blossoms on the shrubs. But before those leaves and blossoms start to bud, now is the time to trim those trees and shrubs back.

    You may want to trim these plants for any number of reasons. Maybe a portion of it is diseased or broken off, or maybe it has just become overgrown and unsightly. No matter the reason, though, you should go through these few steps to make sure you prune properly for the health of the plant.
    The reason you want to do that now, instead of later on when the plant is in full bloom is because the plants are still fairly dormant, so any pruning you do will most likely not stunt the growth of the plant. There is less stress put on the plant and less sap loss this way.
    First and foremost, do not tackle any job you feel uncomfortable with. If the job feels too big, like taking a large branch off a tree, please call a professional.
    For most other jobs, the first thing to do is make sure that your pruning shears are sharp. A dull shears will most likely tear the plant instead of cutting cleanly, causing more stress on the plant and possibly affect its bloomage in the spring.
    When it comes to removing unwanted branches, you want to cut as close to the base of the branch where the off-shoot forks away from the main branch as possible. A flush cut alongside the main branch will create less stress to the plant.
    There’s no need to put anything on the cuts either. Though sap in the plant may not be flowing as quickly as it would in the summer months, the plant will still cover the cut with it’s own sap and it will heal on it’s own just fine.
    A little time and effort now is not only best for the plant but also give you a beautiful plant to enjoy all summer long.