Hug a Tree - Prune a Tree

Today I tried to focus on getting my front trees pruned. I started a few weeks ago before Princess two came home. It was such a nice day today that I went out early but with errands, labs with Princess 2 and a few other things I went back and forth but finished just before dark.  I had the girls come out and help me load everything up into the garbage cans and put them to the curb. 

I hadn't thought about it but Princess two had on a "Trees are for hugging" shirt. 
 
I didn't notice until they decided to take this pictures together that Princess number five was also wearing a "hug a tree" shirt. They posed and had Princess four take a photo as they thought it was really funny that we were out working on the trees and they both were wearing those shirts. 
 
I however, was not hugging a tree, I was IN the tree. I spent an hour or so today describing how I prune trees, and other ways that people  prune trees to my sister who now has about 15 fruit trees. 

I have about ten fruit trees that need pruning now. I would still like to get a late blooming apricot tree as I took that tree out this year as the blooms always froze. In 12 years I got one apricot that made it to being ripe. Two of the trees are ornamental plum and don't give much fruit but look nice. 
 
 I found it refreshing to actually be home and working on the house and yard again as it has been a busy few weeks. I am hoping for a few more nice days that I can get the flower beds taken care of as well. 

It seems that weekly I fill five garbage cans and they are filled to the brim. Having a yard and fruit trees can be a full time job in the fall. 

It is nice when I have the girls for help putting all the clippings in the cans. I usually try to prune the day before the garbage comes and then prune the rest the next day so I have empty cans again. I could probably use a few new garbage cans but we use them so much they get abused fairly quickly.  
Here is a link to how I prune my trees along with some spring photos of them in bloom. So, now you have my fall pruning shots and the spring blossom shots. Pruning isn't one of my favorite things but I should have learned by now that I should wear long sleeves as my arms look like I was attacked by a small animal. 

Here is to a beautiful yard all winter.