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Keep your trees healthy: Learn correct pruning


Here's an example of how not to prune a tree: The street side of this fruitless mulberry
has been hacked
but the residence side still has all its canopy. This was done in July, at the
height of summer,
rather than during winter dormancy. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)
Free workshops on the winter calendar

Is there anything in horticulture sadder than a badly pruned tree? Poor pruning practices weaken trees and make them dangerous to people and structures.

Learn proper techniques for pruning landscape trees this Saturday, Jan. 11, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Pocket Greenhaven Library, 7335 Gloria Drive, Sacramento.

This free workshop will be presented by the UCCE master gardeners of Sacramento County. It's an indoor class that will cover tools and techniques as well as basic cuts. The master gardeners also will discuss the best time of year to prune to ensure your trees heal properly.

For more information on master gardener workshops and events, go to
sacmg.ucanr.edu .

The Sacramento Tree Foundation, naturally, has a wealth of information on pruning advice at its website, sactree.com .

The foundations's next available pruning workshop is Saturday, Feb. 1, 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Garden Valley Elementary School, 3601 Larchwood Drive, Sacramento. It includes an indoor classroom portion and outdoor field training to practice pruning in small groups on young trees.

There is no charge for the workshop, but anyone interested is asked to sign up ahead of time. See their page here to do so.

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of March 19:

Spring will start a bit soggy, but there’s still plenty to do between showers:

* Fertilize roses, annual flowers and berries as spring growth begins to appear.

* Watch out for aphids. Wash off plants with strong blast from the hose.

* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.

* Prepare summer vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to fight blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees as they start to blossom.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

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