More Pruning and Picking Up and Stuff Like That

 We've been working outside a lot and getting ourselves back in shape.  We both have a regular walking routine but all of this upping and downing and lifting on top of that takes some getting used to.  We're not old but we're not as young as we used to be.

After walking past the south apple tree for a week I became determined to top it.  This is not the first time it has been topped.  In fact, the current main leader is not even the original main leader.   There is no point growing apples up there.  I can't reach them even with my apple picker. So I got the big pole pruner out again.  This is how top pruning is accomplished.  This pole is fifteen feet long.  It's main job is to help us lift the telephone wires when we have to get a big truck in or out, but it is still sharp

First I set the pruner then I walk around the tree on all sides.  I've been planning this for awhile, but I have to keep in mind that a tree has at least 360 different angles.  Once I get that leader shortened, the one on the left has to come down too or else it will continue to out grow the leader.  The one on the right is marginal and can stay for now.

Once I get that middle section down, it is pretty gnarly.  I'm glad I did it.

This is better!

The left side looks like it could come down a little too but that can wait for now.

Another pruning project is the Nine Bark shrub.  These grow in a water spout shape and require special pruning.  If you want to size control them you need to make each cut right at the base of the branch or you will ruin its form.  Someone in our neighborhood tries to prune these like a regular rounded shrub and the mess it makes each June is interesting.  I will have to try to remember to take a picture.

To keep this from getting overgrown I take out about half of it starting with any weak or spindly branches at the bottom.

You can't really tell I took anything out.

Another project was the mess created by this big dead Ash tree.  It was actually the neighbor's tree and he got the trunk sectioned up and hauled away to his firewood pile a few weeks ago.  We need to roll the area to erase the heavy scar from the grass so we picked up any leftover bark and started sorting out our junk pile.

This junk pile gets relocated and reduced about every five years but there are still things we find a use for.  We just have to make sense of this mess.

This is better....