Pruning trees during their growth period seems counter-intuitive to most home gardeners, but that's what a master gardener suggests for taking care of desert trees in July.
Recent studies at the University of Arizona show that desert trees — among them, mesquite, desert willow and palo verde — recover from pruning better in the summer because they grow quickly, says Nancy McCue, master gardener coordinator at the University of Arizona Pima County Cooperative Extension.
"They heal much better when we prune in the heat. They do recover quicker," says McCue, a master gardener for 10 years.
When pruning a young desert tree, leave shoots growing low on the trunk for one year to strengthen it. Cut those shoots soon after to avoid creating a multi-trunk tree. Unlike wild desert trees, those bought from nurseries have begun training to grow a single one, says McCue.
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other pruning tips
• Cut away branches that cross others, especially if they're touching.
• Take off branches that create narrow crotch angles with others. A good angle is the "L" you make by extending the thumb and first finger. A bad angle is one closer to the "V" shape you make with your two first fingers.
• Thin the canopy to allow wind to flow through.
• Get rid of dead branches.
• When trimming for such needs as space clearance, go back to the lateral branch to cut. Cutting on the end only creates more branches and eventually thicker growth to deal with.
more tasks for July
• Fertilize palms. Buy specialized palm fertilizer and "follow directions always," she says. "In case of fertilizer, more is not better." Spread a band of fertilizer 1 foot to 1.5 feet from the base of the trunk and water it in.
• Plant pumpkins. Most types will work for a Halloween harvest. When the pumpkin is about the size of a baseball, scratch a child's name on it. That will form a scab as the fruit grows and personalizes it come picking time.
• Harvest rainwater. For an easy, unobtrusive system, get an extra piece of gutter that extends from your downspout to the plants you want watered. When it rains, attach the gutter. Take it off when it's empty and store until next rainfall.
• Clip dead flowers. Cutting off the seed pod on the stem of a dead blossom will trick the plant into creating more blooms. Use scissors or clippers to make a clean cut on the stem a little below the pod.