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The snow has melted, the winds have mostly died down, and you finally get outside after a winter of cold, wet weather to take stock of your yard and its vegetative inhabitants. You find a couple of trees and shrubs that have bent or broken branches and you wonder out loud to the birdbath, “Is this a good time to prune?”
Seasonal pruning recommendations do not apply when branches and limbs are broken. Damaged wood should be pruned from trees and shrubs as soon as it is practical. Here are a few pointers:
- If the plants are of a size that you can work on them yourself (shrubs and smaller trees), then you can use a sharp set of pruning shears or loppers to remove the broken branches. Make a careful, clean cut back to the next living bud along the broken branch. Call a qualified tree company in your area if you have questions regarding pruning shrubs and smaller trees.
- Small shrubs with a fair amount of damage may be reduced after pruning, to a fraction of their former selves in your garden. Although storm damage by itself will not often kill your plants, you might want to consider replacing them if drastic damage has unacceptably altered the look of your landscape.
- If damaged branches are high enough that you can’t reach them while standing on the ground, you should consider hiring a professional tree care company. It requires special tools, techniques and knowledge to effectively prune above your head. Pruning trees from a ladder usually is a bad idea. Many tree owners are seriously injured every year in attempts to work from a ladder.
- Do not remove broken limbs with a chainsaw without thoroughly reviewing the safety information included with the chainsaw when you purchased it. Take a good look at the work you think you need done with a chainsaw, and be honest in the evaluation of your abilities. If you have any doubts, call a pro.
- The good news is, you can usually get an estimate from a qualified tree care company for free, and it’s a call you, your family, and your woody plants will be glad you made.
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