Cut Out the Unnecessary

Obvious pruning should be done before the winter sneaks in.

It’s the holiday squeeze, which reminds me that cutting out the unnecessary (whether it’s extra nibbles or too many commitments) can make the season a bit more manageable.  The irony is this simple advice applies to your landscape as well.

Need a holiday breather? Consider taking a walkabout to peruse your property. See if everything is winter tight and buttoned up. If you notice any dead branches or split crotches on a tree, take care of them before heavy snow and ice. Remove any dead or weakened limbs and attend to any apparent structural issues. This is not the season for major pruning, which is typically performed in late winter to early spring but obvious pruning should be done before winter sneaks in.

If you need to remove any large hazard trees, don’t wait until a Nor'easter barrels through. Even the slightest winds could take down one of these problem trees so removing them when the ground is frozen with little to no snow pays off. As always, bring in a reputable, insured tree company that can spot hazard. This is not something you want to undertake yourself. Leave this task to the professionals.

Time to wrap it up with one last note - keep your holiday season manageable. Cut out the unnecessary but never the important things. Handwritten Christmas notes and smiles can make all the holiday difference. Jimmy Buffett says it best. “Wrinkles will only go where the smiles have been.” But if your trees are spotting a few wrinkles, make sure it’s nothing potentially hazardous.Trim, tuck, prune - cut out the unnecessary. And if you need that November/December checklist for your landscape, here is the link to that post again.

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