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aemeijers aemeijers is offline
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Default how to prune a branch without killing it?

Smitty Two wrote:
In article ,
(David Combs) wrote:

Thanks much for those two suggestions!

Now I can go back to work!

David


FIRST-PS: Oh, I've been reading that you're supposed to hold
off pruning until the end of winter or during the early
spring.

What problem from doing it at other times, eg now?

David



SECOND-PS: When wallking my doggie (super cute bijon) I often
notice short hedges (4 feet high, 5 feet?) in which, you know,
the leaves on these hedges, so as to get the sun, grow only
on the outside "surface", with only "naked" branches on the
"inside".

Looks like what happened sometimes is that bushy-leafy end
protruded out beyond (into the sidewalk, maybe), and they
pruned off the extending-out-too-far part, leaving
just a, well, "stick" (no leaves anywhere nearby)
going back to a "parent" (often the bushes' "trunk") --
looks horrible.

So, you're (well, one of you is) saying that they
should have cut off the entire branch, back at its
origin.

(assuming no branch-points leading to leafy branches on
other parts of the "surface".)

Yes? (I'm just trying to verify (or disprove) my understanding
of your suggestions.)


THANKS!


David


You might be overthinking this thing. I prune when I feel like it, and
it's not been problematic. Now if you're talking about roses or some
other finicky thing, then I'd stick with the recommended season.

Hedges are pruned to shape without regard to where the branches get cut.
They can look naked if reshaped or allowed to get too long before
pruning, but will soon refill with outer green.


The landscape guy on ATOH house addressed this in one of the road trip
segments. He recommended thinning the branches on the sunward side of a
hedge, so light could get to the interior, and avoid that dead zone look
when you do lop off the ones that block the sidewalk. Of course, he has
been doing it for decades and can 'seat of the pants' the cutting
decisions with no problems, based on what looks right. Us dilettantes
have to just swag it. I have the same problem on the bush I have to
square off a couple times a year to get the car past it into the garage
without scratching the paint. Yeah, it looks funny- one flat face, and
natural on the other sides. I also keep a 2x2 section trimmed to have a
semi-hidden spot to keep the trash dumpster. Trimming is less work than
building a fence, I guess.

--
aem sends...