Question
Q
Our scrub oak is taking over our view, but efforts to trim have resulted in visible cuts and dead branches near the cuts. Do we need a professional, or can it be done well by a lay person?
Answer(s)
A
The best time to prune deciduous trees and shrubs is early spring, so that new growth will soon cover the cuts. Always prune back to where a limb meets its parent limb or branch. This is called "thinning out" and helps the cut heal faster and prevents bushy sprouting at the end of a cut. Here is a link to some good information about pruning landscape trees:
http://extension.usu.edu/files/natrpubs/ff004.pdf
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