Overgrown junipers and leggy lilacs around your Sturgis yard require proper attention. Living right here in Meade County means your landscape deals with brutal winter snow loads and dry summer winds that take a real toll on woody plants. Taking care of your bushes is important for keeping your yard healthy and safe. Here is a practical guide on what you need to know before you grab the clippers for your Tree Service in Sturgis, SD.
Before You Cut: Timing and Prep
Timing matters based on what kind of plant you are dealing with. For most deciduous shrubs around Sturgis, late winter or early spring right before new growth kicks off is the right time. If you have spring-flowering bushes like lilacs, wait until right after they finish blooming so you do not chop off next year's buds. Before you make your first cut, inspect the plant for the four Ds: dead, damaged, diseased, and dysfunctional branches.
Make sure your tools are sharp and clean. Dull bypass pruners or hedge shears will crush stems instead of making clean cuts, which invites disease and pests into the plant tissue. Grab a pair of heavy leather gloves, safety glasses, and clean loppers before stepping out into the yard to perform your Tree Service tasks.
During the Project: What You Can Do vs. Pro Help
If you can reach the branches safely from the ground and they are not thicker than your thumb, you can do the work yourself. Start by clearing out the dead wood and crossing branches at the base. Step back frequently to check your shape and symmetry. Light shearing on formal hedges or minor thinning on native shrubs is a great weekend project for homeowners.
However, you need to know when to draw the line. If an overgrown cotoneaster or caragana has taken over your entire front foundation and requires a chainsaw or a ladder to fix, put the tools down. Ladder work while handling heavy cutting tools is dangerous. In addition, if you are dealing with massive, mature windbreak rows or diseased shrubs that require specialized diagnosis, call Progressive Tree for Tree Service in Sturgis. Progressive Tree will handle the heavy lifting without wrecking your landscape investment.
After the Trimming: Clean-Up and Recovery
Once the trimming is wrapped up, do not just leave the debris sitting at the base of your plants. Rake up all the trimmings and dispose of them properly to prevent harboring pests over the winter. Give your bushes a thorough, deep watering if rain is lacking, especially since local soils in Sturgis can dry out in a hurry. A fresh layer of mulch around the base will help retain that moisture and protect the root zones against sudden temperature drops.