Pruning Winter Damaged Trees
When it comes to surviving winter in the Midwest, residents of Illinois know that there is much to be done if you want to maintain the quality of your home and landscaping. Every snowstorm means a list of chores needs to be completed. After the last snowflake falls, it’s time to bundle up in countless layers, fire up the snowplow, get out the shovels and the bags of salt, and make sure our driveways and walking paths are cleared and safe. Well, at least until the next blizzard hits, and probably sooner than we’d like!
Yes, there is plenty to keep us busy during a winter’s day in Illinois. But one chore that often gets neglected (but is absolutely essential to complete) is making sure the trees in our yard are ready to take on many more fierce winters down the road. This means, when the weather cooperates, pruning them to ensure that the damage they sustained during the frigid winter months doesn’t result in permanent damage.
First things first, when it comes to pruning your trees, you need to know when the best time IS to prune your trees. We recommend late Winter to early spring when trees are still dormant; evaluate the status of your trees and shrubs and remove any dead or broken limbs. If your shrubs flower in the Spring, such as lilacs and forsythias, then it’s important to prune them after they flower—you do not want to cut off the buds for Spring flowers!
If you do find that you need to do some work on your yard’s plants because of the effects of countless winter snowstorms, you need to do it properly to restore the trees and shrubs back to a healthy state. First, use sharp tools to avoid further injury to the plant. Next, you’ll want to make the pruning cuts at an angle that lets moisture move away from the cut; this reduces the presence of mold in the future. Remember, the larger the branch, the more cuts you’ll need to properly remove it (large branches usually require a minimum of three cuts).
When it comes to keeping your yard and foliage looking their best all year round, trust your friends and experts at Winding Creek Nursery. Our certified staff and Illinois Certified Nurseryman can answer all your landscaping and gardening. Stop by our nursery and garden center at 8241 Millbrook Rd, Millbrook, IL 60536 for a variety of trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and vegetable plants as well as home and garden decor. Visit our website or call us at (630) 553-7211.
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