After a very nice holiday, with Dave home from the Airforce (he is at the Defense Language Institute in Monteray,tough gig!)  and CJ home from college,and Bill on vacation for 2 weeks, it is time to focus more of my energy on chores and less on overeating and wine .

 Over the break we had what was declared a “blizzard” and although we had up to 70 mph winds, we only recieved a few inches of snow. A few days ago I finally got around to a yard inspection to look for limbs and damage and it was not too bad. A climbimg rose came unanchored because the ground is frozen I can not upright it’s trellis and the canes are scratching a window so they have to go. This is not, I repeat NOT the time to prune roses of any kind, that is for very late winter/early spring, but I did it anyway. Crossed fingers we have no more 60 degree winter days and it is ok come spring.

Being outside reminded me, or kind of jolted me out of my gardening lull, that it is time to prune lots of other stuff. Winter is optimal pruning time because deciduous trees are free of leaves so you can really see the structure as well as  what needs cutting and le’ts face it, no other garden chores are stealing your attention at the moment . It will also keep you away from the avalanche of catalogues arriving in the mail threatening your third borns education fund. (Sorry Erin, I will try to practice restraint this year)

This month I plan to prune a few pear trees and maybe the apple out front. They all constantly have water sprouts (those wierd branches that grow straight up to the sky) and every year need lots of pruning. while I am out there I will scan the other trees and bushes for any crossed branches that will cause damage and easy entry for bugs/diseases and take those out as well.

Two FYI s  1.) If you have spirea bushes, in the fall (or now) use your hedge trimmmer and just lop them off to about a foot high.They grow more like perennials and will shoot right back up into bush form very quickly in the spring, it saves  deadheading and thinning too.

2. )While you have your clippers in hand, bushes that flower in the spring that you can force into bloom in your house( like forsythia and cherries), only need 6 weeks of dormancy before you can cut branches and bring them inside to bloom. We are rapidly approaching that window so don’t wait until late Feb or March.  If your forsythias are like mine( unruly overgrown messes )then you can cut till your hearts delight for a couple of months.

…….and by the way …pruning is not scary. If you have never dared to hack at your bushes and trees, take a class, it will empower you. If you just need to re-fresh your knowledge check out the great how to videos on finegardening.com, or take out a book from the library. Better safe than being sorry after you re-create Dr. suess’ who-ville in your backyard!