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. |
