Well, today is the big day. I know there is still alot of snow out there, but I gotta get out thru the garden and assess the damage all that snow weight caused. I will carry my sharp pruners. Sharp, I said. If you go around making necessary cuts with dull pruners, you are going to get rough cuts, which won't heal as well. I also totally prefer By-pass pruners over Anvil pruners. The By-pass blades pass each other, as scissors would, making for a nice clean cut. The Anvil pruner action is one that smashes the twig/branch against a flat piece, thereby crushing to cut. Doesn't sound to me like a very good way to help a plant heal. We all know a clean cut heals faster than a ripped up, smashed one. The other reason to make sure your pruners are sharp is they then work with you, doing most of the work. What? You say? Of course they are doing most of the work, they are the cutters. Well, yes, but dull blades cause you to have to expend a-whole-lot more energy and effort to make the cut. If your hand or wrist is hurting after a few cuts, you either don't have a big enough pruning tool for what you are doing, or, more likely, your blades need sharpened. It is soooo easy to sharpen your blades. I do my own, stop by HG, bring your pruners and I will show you how. If you aren't a DIY, our service dept can do it for you for a small fee. Back to the garden....so as I am gaining glee for going out today, I am quickly getting an overwhelming fret quality for what damage I am going to encounter. After a few minutes of deep fretting, I have come to the conclusion that the fretting will not make the damage go away. It is. So instead I will spend my time outside pruning, hearing the birds chirping, feeling the breeze wrap around me. If a shrub is so busted up that I doubt it will recover, I will look at is as opportunity to try another shrub. I will be outside, which is why I am going out. I will enjoy, not fret. Switcho-chango, it is good to be in the garden....no matter what..

spring is coming! spring is coming! Happy day! Erica