Darrell Blackwelder: Pruning in the fall

By Mark Brincefield, for the Salisbury Post

By Darrell Blackwelder

Pruning can still be done. Contrary to popular belief, pruning can be done year-round. Light, judicious pruning in the fall does not kill plants and is often needed to control straggly and overgrown summer growth on trees and shrubs. But be advised — spring-flowering shrubs such as azaleas and rhododendron will sparsely bloom or not at all if heavily pruned in the fall. Low-lying tree limbs can be removed to give easy access to mowing and other yard chores.

Pruning maple and birch trees with leave in the fall is actually the best time to prune these species. These tree species tend to bleed severely when pruned in late winter or in the spring. Severely pruning evergreen hedges such as holly, crape myrtle and boxwoods sh