Every winter, I spend quite a bit of time just thinking about what I can do now to make my job easier come springtime. Between the animals, the garden and the fruit trees, once the weather starts warming up everything gets really busy and the time flies by. There are a lot of things that need to happen around a certain time, too, so a little forethought goes a long way for bigger tasks like pruning.
Generally speaking, spring is one of the best times to prune many plants, but definitely not all of them. I’m talking about things like roses, trees, and fruiting bushes that benefit from a haircut in the spring. Pruning, when done correctly, goes a long way to maintaining the health and productivity of your plants.
So, as soon as the leaves fall, I like to cut up some string and stash it in my work jacket. This way, any time I’m outside and I see a branch that needs to be pruned off in the spring, I can mark it. I do the same thing if I see branches in the summer, but it’s so much easier to see the overall shape once the leaves are out of the way.
Do you have any tips for helping manage future jobs in your yard?
