Windy Surprise

We were caught by surprise a few weeks ago with gusty winds that blew down branches and even whole trees. It was a reminder to clean out the gutters, check the roof and put in all the stuff that could blow away.

In the garden its also a good idea to give your trees a critical eye and see if there are any heavy
branches that have elongated over the growing season and now have too much weight out at the ends. I also look at the density of evergreens in the garden that could get heavy with rain water and then blow over. These trees and shrubs should be thinned to allow the wind to blow through and balanced so the branches don't crack. For large trees I call in my arborist buddy- Dan Hoskins and the shrubs and small trees I work on myself over the fall months. If you use a gardener ask them to thin rather than shear the shrubs and small trees so that they are more open and allow the air to move through. This is probably easier said than done but its worth a try.

Garden Arches with vines on can be at risk also from strong winds. Our heavy 'Mermaid' Rose really catches the wind and tries to blow over every year. I think I am on my 3rd arch for that one. Vines need to thinned and cut back to the arch every year anyway so before the winter is a good time to start this.

Its starting to be cool enough now to start the winter pruning for the perennials (that are not blooming), shrubs and vines. For Deciduous Trees wait until they lose their leaves. I note this because it is helpful to do the pruning over a long period to be able to fit the trimmings in those green waste bins and for starting compost if you have the space. I get fairly sore and crickety these days so breaking up the garden work into shorter periods is easier on my body too.

Let me know if you have any questions on maintenance tasks and enjoy the fall coolness!