Pruning shrubs is easy, even to rejuvenate an old one that has lost its desire to bloom.
You want to thin out the stems of your shrubs each year, so they do not get raggy looking. Start by removing an entire stem or branch, either back to its point of origin on the main stem or to the point where it joins another branch. Remove the oldest canes first never removing over 1/3 of the shrub in one year. This allows the younger stems to grow and it is the younger canes that will grow
Heading mean shorting the height of the plant. Cut to a bud that faces to the outside of the plant, this prevent branches from growing into the plant. Usually done with hand-held pruners, heading stimulates the buds just below the cut, encouraging dense growth. Never remove over ½ of the growth. So, pruning shrubs is not that hard.
You do not need a BA degree in pruning trees either fruit or shade trees. Most trees do best when pruned and trained to a central leader tree (one main stem). This type of tree has a pyramidal shape with a single upright leader limb as its highest point. This leader is the newest extension of a long, upright growing trunk from which all side branches arise. As with all strong growing branches, the leader should be headed back each year. The uppermost bud on the leader produces a vigorous new leader, and no other branch should be allowed to grow taller than the main trunk. Branches should be spaced vertically 4-6” apart, have growth that is more horizontal than vertical and point in different compass directions from the trunk.
Remove weak, diseased, injured or narrow-angle branches (the
weaker of any crossing or interfering branches), and one branch of forked
limbs. Also remove upright branches and any that grow toward the center of
tree. You want to keep your tree from becoming too thick and crowded and to
keep its height reasonable. All these objectives promote improved bearing,
which is your overall aim. Try to achieve the general shape of the trees in the
drawings provided but be sure to allow your tree to express its own
individuality. You can not force a tree that grows 60’ into one that grows 20’.
Remove any basil shoots growing from the base of the tree.
Also remove any broken branches, water sprouts (shoot growing straight up from
a branch or downward from a branch, and sucker shoots around the base of the
trunk.
I have used a cold frame for years to grow and harden
off my plants before placing into the garden whenever the temperature cooperates.
It started off as a 2 X 12 box with a fiberglass top. I have tried plastic
greenhouse but stop using these after the second greenhouse blew down the road.
This year I purchased a rigid plastic Jewel cold frame made in Germany with
automatic vent opener (I figured I deserve it)!
So,
what is a cold frame?
A cold frame is nothing more than a box with a clear
lid that to trap heat and shelter plants from low temperatures and battering
weather. Typically, bottomless for good drainage, cold frames sit low to
the ground and have no artificial heat source. A transparent lid absorbs
sunlight and can be lifted for air circulation (or kept shut to keep out
the elements).
Historically, cold frames were built as greenhouse extensions tucked against the outer walls with southern exposure as seen (with their glass lids removed) outside Victorian glass houses. They offered a place to harden off seedlings on their journey from the cozy confines of the greenhouse to outdoor planting beds.
What
are the benefits of cold frames?
Provide a frost-free haven for tender plants that
won’t survive freezing conditions. Move plants into a cold frame until the
weather is warm enough to transplant them into the garden.
Have ideal conditions to gradually acclimate seedlings
grown indoors to conditions outside without having to carry them in at night.
Are
easy and affordable to make (or purchase).
You can place in the garden to raise cool season
vegetables like lettuce, radishes, and spinach thru November or get an early
jump in March.
Where is the best place to put a cold frame?
To maximize warmth, light exposure, and weather
protection for plants, cold frames should be sited in a south-facing position.
Other site considerations are drainage and protection from wind.
Take a cue from history and put your cold frame
adjacent to another outbuilding for added insulation and to buffer it from
weather on one side.
Can
I make my own cold frame?
Cold frames are easy and affordable to make, requiring
little more than a few boards, an old window (or piece of glass or plastic),
some hinges, screws, and a bit of muscle. I have use straw bales in the
past with a window placed on top.
Ventilation is key: when outdoor temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, prop open the lid 6 inches; when the outdoor temps clear 50 degrees Fahrenheit, open or remove the lid. Be sure to restore the lid in late afternoon to trap the heat inside for the cool night. Consider a non-electric vent controller to automatically open and close the cover at a preset temperature.
