Monday, January 2, 2012

Don't Be Hasty

Just a reminder not to be hasty and trim or prune bushes/trees right now.  We will get colder temps this month and into next.  I had been watching this tree for awhile after last years historic freeze.  It looked completely dead in March but by summer, the leaves started to grow back.  If you trim or prune a bush during this month, you could possibly kill the entire plant.  Wait until March 15th before you do any trimming.   This tree has since come back to full form and I'd probably clean it up again in spring before the new growth begins.  That which appears dead; isn't always dead:) So hold the shears for the moment:)  I get antsy as well.  But March is the month of magic in the Old Pueblo. Right now just start on your outdoor projects....like the instalation of our water fountain.  More coming up on that project and so much more......

7 comments:

  1. Great information indeed. Wishing you and family a Happy New Year 2012 and good luck with the water fountain installation!

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  2. Is that a Jacaranda, or some other legume? Yes, wait to prune, unless it definitely is dead (stems and twigs that snap to the touch, curled inward, etc). Or even remove something that looked dead, like many in Abq did last winter with some succulents, etc.

    I killed back new growth on a native honey mesquite by doing a Feb pruning...Mar 15 for Tucson, and late April in Abq, after the last typical frost date. Amen!

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  3. well, maybe there's some hope for our Texas trees yet after this drought...

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  4. The tree, I believe, is the desert fern. Several of these trees look like this around town. At first I thought it was a mesquite, but on closer inspection discovered it was the lysiloma. Beautiful tree or shrub here.

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  5. oh you have been reading my mind
    What with bushes and trees revealing their shape at this time of year...I have been tempted to snip a bit....Today I was thinking of my oak leaf hydrangeas....but I know...do it in the wrong way..wrong time......disaster
    thanks

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  6. Hi Chris, Happy New Year! I guess you said you hope i am well in your comment as i am not visiting for the last weeks. I am in the property in the province and busy cleaning the overgrown weeds and volunteer plants, you know how plants in the tropics get very complicated when forgotten. Now i am so tired with sore muscles and scratches on legs and arms. I don't want to wear long sleeves and long pants as it is easy to work on short sleeves and shorts, haha! I now need a full long masage, but i guess i lost lots of calories. God bless and may you get the full share of the blessings of 2012.

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  7. BTW what caught your eye - the lights - was when we went off-grid in the Tankwa Karoo.
    Here too, I must wait till March, coolth and hopefully rain, before I start tidying up the trees.

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