Garden Checklist

From The Fresno Bee, November 12, 2009, edited:

Topping Trees Cuts Their Canopy and Their Life Span---Elinor Teague

"Topping trees does not control the size of a tree. In fact, topping trees by cutting branches across their width destroys their natural shape and creates an unsightly growth spurt of tangled, weak branches that will need more frequent cutting."

Topping stresses trees, and their life span is shortened severely. Within seven years of this type of pruning, the tree will need to be replaced.

New forms of bad pruning are starting to become more evident. Many trees are being overly thinned and secondary branches are being stripped away, sometimes leaving branches that look like a lion's tail. This removes most of the tree's canopy, which was providing the tree trunk with shade to prevent bark sunburn, and to keep the trunk cool. By removing so much foliage, the tree cannot get "enough food to sustain growth." This causes the branches to sprout lots of sucker branches along the remaining branches and down the trunk. Never remove more than one-third of a tree canopy at any one time.

Pruning redwoods, an evergreen, like a deciduous tree is disastrous. Redwood trees have a dense branch structure to completely shade and cool the interior. "The downward-growing branches also collect mist and fog droplets in their cool native climates, allowing the water to drip slowly down to the shallow root system that lies underneath the canopy." Dead branches need to be removed, but heavy thinning is not good.

Southern magnolias are tolerant of our summer heat and produce so many flowers and seed pods that they can break branches. Magnolias can have careful branch reduction and some thinning which may help prevent limb breakage. The bark needs to be shaded as it is very susceptible to sunburn.

"Ortho's 'All About Pruning' is a well-illustrated pruning guide that can help educate a homeowner on good pruning practices. If you are hiring the pruning to be done, make sure they are "a licensed, bonded certified arborist" (and be sure to check their references).

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Garden Checklist:

Deep-water trees and shrubs as needed.

Tasks--protect subtropical plants.
Pruning--leaf fall is the time to start pruning--except for apricots and olives, which should have been done in August.
Fertilizing--feed cool-weather plants and vegetables.
Planting--dianthus; grape hyacinth (Muscari), narcissus, peony (Paeonia); spinach from seed; forget-me-not (Myosotis), Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule); azalea.
Things to ponder--dig up dahlia and begonia tubers and gladiolus corms, trim dead stems or leaves and store in a cool, dry place.