Fall
Pruning, Planting & Transplanting
of your Trees & Shrubs
Pruning
trees and shrubs is a fall task that should
be done to maintain and promote healthy
tree and shrub growth. Varieties
that should be pruned in the fall include
Maple's, Birch, Walnut, Poplar and other
deciduous species. Pruning of deciduous
trees to achieve the best form and structure
of the tree should be done once they have
lost their leaves. Spring blooming bushes
and shrubs should also be pruned and trimmed
during the fall.
Pruning
is much quicker and easier when you use
the right tools for the various plant and
tree varieties in your garden.
Choose a bypass cutting style tool for cutting
green growth and anvil models for dry or
dead limbs and small branches. Large branches
are cut best with loppers, either anvil
or bypass styles. Small branches and stems
should be cut by hand pruners and hard to
reaches limbs and branches with extendable
tree pruners. These long handle tools are
available with a number of cutting devices,
including saws.
Fall
is also a great time to plant new trees
and shrubs. Adding certain varieties
of shrubs or bushes that produce vibrant
fall color is a great way to add more enjoyment
to your yard. Autumn is also a great time
to plant species that will provide color
and shade during different months of the
upcoming year.
"When
is the best time to transplant trees and
shrubs?" That's a question we get
a lot from Northwest gardeners. Well fall
is it, ideally right after the first hard
frost or when your plants have gone dormant.
First
things first when planting or transplanting:
take the time to properly prepare
the new planting site. Most people don't
dig the hole big enough. It needs to be
a good 2-3 times the size of the root ball
to give the plants roots plenty of room.
When
you're ready to move your tree or shrub,
just drag the plant on a tarp to it's new
spot (for transplanting, wrap the root ball
in burlap to keep it from falling apart).
Fill in the hole with some planting mix
or soil mixed with compost. That keeps the
area nice and loose for the roots to take
hold and grow. Lastly, be sure to water
it in well to eliminate any air pockets,
then add in additional soil as needed.
While
much of the information in these tips is
applicable in several gardening zones/climates,
some of the plants and timing suggested
are best suited to the Northwest, generally
in the mild/wet growing regions found along
the I-5 corridor. You should make appropriate
adjustments or consult local gardening experts
in regions whose climates differ from this
area of the Northwest. |
