Pruning shrubs

Kari Lewis

Now is the ideal time to prune many trees and shrubs as this time in the late dormant season is when severe cold has passed, but new growth has not yet begun.  This dormant season pruning typically enhances the plant’s vigor, and will stimulate new growth.  In addition, pruning now will provide the trees and shrubs the entire growing season to recover.

When a shrub flowers determines when is an appropriate time to prune that shrub.  Shrubs that bloom on current season’s growth which would be ok to prune now include Peegee hydrangea, potentilla, shrub rose, snowberry, and Hills of Snow bushes. 

One exception to pruning shrubs this time of year includes shrubs grown primarily for their flowers that that bloom in the spring.  Spring flowering shrubs are any shrubs that bloom at the same time or before the lilacs bloom.  These spring flowering shrubs bloom on LAST year’s growth, so should be pruned right after flowering.  Examples of these are honeysuckle, rhododendron, lilac, and rambling rose bushes. 

If you are wanting to prune shrubs into a hedge, small shrubs that are 1 to 3 years old should be cut back to about 3 to 5 inches above the ground to encourage growth of new shoots at the base.  If you have older shrubs that you would like to transition into a hedge, cut back one-third from their tops and sides to help develop a full, bushy hedge. 

The main thing to remember when pruning a hedge is that the ideal hedge is wider at the base than the top.  A hedge should look like a truncated cone shape. 

Often, I will see the exact opposite of this, that is, the top of the hedge is wider than the base.  This leads to thin, weak growth, as the wider top portion of the hedge shades the lower portion and without adequate sunlight to the lower portion of the hedge, it becomes less vigorous. 

Formal hedges should have one-third to one-fourth of their oldest branches near the ground cut back each year.  Upper branches of the hedge can also be cut back to their main parent stem to encourage fresh, new growth. 

If you prune any infected branches while pruning, make sure to clean your pruners with rubbing alcohol after each cut so that the pruners don’t transmit the disease to another portion of the hedge or to the tree you prune next. 

Spring Runoff and Water Testing

Kari Lewis

As MSU Extension educators, we commonly recommend soil tests, forage tests, and water tests.  Well water testing should be done annually and is especially recommended in years like this where there has been increased runoff.  If your well has been flooded or if you notice a change in water quality, it’s especially important to have a test done. 

There are a vast number of people and resources devoted to monitoring municipal water supplies.  For the private well water user, however, it is up to them to monitor the well water quality and ensure water quality meets drinking quality standards. 

The MSU Extension Well Educated program provides well owner education as it relates to health and quality of life.  Through the Well Educated program, free water collection bottles are available at your local Extension office that can then be sent to a Montana lab for analysis.  A few of the frequent questions related to this program include what parameters should be tested for, and how much does the testing cost?

What the water will be used for determines what the water should be tested for.  If the water will be used for drinking water and hasn’t been tested in recent years, then a basic domestic analysis that measures alkalinity, bacteria, nitrate, pH, and total dissolved solids, is an appropriate choice and is only $35.   A basic annual analysis is the minimum test that all private well owners should complete each year.  The basic analysis, available for $20, measures bacteria and nitrates, and is a valuable tool to track water quality through time. 

Farmers and ranchers should also consider testing their livestock drinking water and irrigation water.  The ‘Suitability of Water for Livestock’ test is $50, and can help identify any parameters which could deter livestock from drinking water and potentially cause health issues or lower livestock performance. 

Another reason to test livestock water is to measure nitrate presence.  If livestock are consuming feeds that contain nitrates (such as grain hay), and are also drinking nitrate containing water, the cumulative effect can reduce livestock performance and cause abortions.  Nitrate levels are often higher after spring runoff. 

Water quality can frequently change from year to year depending on amount of runoff, severity of drought, and other environmental conditions.  Rural residents drinking well water, farmers, and ranchers should stop by the MSU Extension office to pick up a free water testing kit to collect a water sample from a home well, livestock water, and/or irrigation water.  Water samples should be collected and shipped the same day, Monday through Wednesday, and results are typically available within two weeks. 

For additional information regarding water testing or for your free water collection bottles, please contact your local MSU Extension Office. 

Now is the Time for Shrub Pruning

Kari Lewis, MSU Extension - Glacier County

Even though it hasn’t felt like spring much yet, the calendar says spring is right around the corner.  Now is the ideal time to prune many trees and shrubs as we commonly think of the late dormant season being when severe cold has passed, but new growth has not yet begun.  This dormant season pruning typically enhances the plant’s vigor, and will stimulate new growth.  In addition, pruning now will provide the trees and shrubs the entire growing season to recover.  This blog will focus on pruning shrubs, with information from the Montana Master Gardener Handbook.  

When a shrub flowers determines when is an appropriate time to prune that shrub.  Shrubs that bloom on current season’s growth which would be ok to prune now include Peegee hydrangea, potentilla, shrub rose, snowberry, and Hills of Snow bushes. 

One exception to pruning shrubs this time of year includes shrubs grown primarily for their flowers that that bloom in the spring.  Spring flowering shrubs are any shrubs that bloom at the same time or before the lilacs bloom.  These spring flowering shrubs bloom on LAST year’s growth, so should be pruned right after flowering.  Examples of these would be honeysuckle, rhododendron, lilac, and rambling rose bushes. 

Photo courtesy of Texas A&M Extension,
available at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/
landscape/proper-pruning-techniques/

If you are wanting to prune shrubs into a hedge, small shrubs that are 1 to 3 years old should be cut back to about 3 to 5 inches above the ground to encourage growth of new shoots at the base.  If you have older shrubs that you would like to transition into a hedge, cut back one-third from their tops and sides to help develop a full, bushy hedge. 

The main thing to remember when pruning a hedge is that the ideal hedge is wider at the base than the top.  A hedge should look like a truncated cone shape. 

Often, I will see the exact opposite of this, that is, the top of the hedge is wider than the base.  This leads to thin, weak growth, as the wider top portion of the hedge shades the lower portion and without adequate sunlight to the lower portion of the hedge, it becomes less vigorous. 

Formal hedges should have one-third to one-fourth of their oldest branches near the ground cut back each year.  Upper branches of the hedge can also be cut back to their main parent stem to encourage fresh, new growth. 

If you prune any infected branches while pruning, make sure to clean your pruners with rubbing alcohol after each cut so that the pruners don’t transmit the disease to another portion of the hedge or to the tree you prune next. 

For questions on this topic, please contact Kari Lewis at kari.lewis@montana.edu.  Image courtesy of http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/landscape/proper-pruning-techniques/.