Winter is in full swing, and it is the optimal time for carrying out major pruning work on mature trees. In much the same way that you can bare-root transplant stone fruit trees at this time of year, so you can also make larger pruning wounds on established trees without as much fear that it will upset the health of the tree.
This is partly because sap flow slows down or almost stops, so you don’t lose vital fluids from the wound. A bit later in winter is even more ideal because spring is just around the corner, bringing with it an increase in sap flow, thereby enabling the tree to start the amazing process of dealing with the wound.
This illustrates again what incredible self-managing systems these majestic organisms are.
They just quietly go about their extraordinary business of turning sunlight into sugar and carbon dioxide into oxygen, sequestering carbon, and helping to drive our water cycle.
These are just some of the things we benefit from. In addition, they also possess astonishing methods for dealing with wounding, shedding redundant parts of themselves, and circulating nutrients around themselves.
Recent science shows that trees communicate with each other via their root systems, and support each other and exchange nutrients through these same systems. Incredible!
I urge you to touch and connect with these giants and see what you feel, they are alive just like you.
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