Boston Flora

Tag: pruning

  • Thursdays, March 22 – May 24, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Spring 2018 Home Horticulture Series

    Registration is now open for ten information-packed evenings classes designed to help home gardeners be more effective at their favorite pastime. The Massachusetts Master Gardener Association is sponsoring Thursday evening classes, March 22 – May 24 from 6:30 – 8:30. The Home Hort Series covers all of the topics studied by certified Master Gardeners, but in a streamlined format suited to busy lifestyles: the program does not require outside reading, homework, volunteering, or testing. Topics include:

    • Perennials • Landscape Design Basics • Woody Plants & Pruning • Lawn Care & Alternatives • Vegetable Culture • Soil • Weed Ecology • Botany • Diseases & Pests • Nomenclature

    Classes are conveniently held at the historic Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate, a Trustees of Reservations property, 2468 Washington Street, Canton, just minutes off Rt. 128, south of Boston. The cost of the 10-lecture series is $250.00 per person, payable in advance by credit card, Pay Pal or personal check. Click here to register online. If you plan to pay by check, you may also register by email/postal mail: for instructions, email us at HomeHort@massmastergardeners.org. Refunds are not available after 3/22/18 or for any missed classes.

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  • Saturday, October 21, 10:30 am – 11:30 am – Pruning Fundamentals

    Proper pruning of trees and shrubs improves their health and structure while enhancing their appearance in the landscape. On October 21 at 10:30 am, learn basic pruning principles, including how to make proper cuts, when to prune different species, and how to select and maintain tools. This New England Wild Flower Society class is part of our Urban Gardening Series, a set of classes designed to help city dwellers grow healthy, sustainable, and beautiful urban gardens. Led by New England Wild Flower Society in partnership with the Cambridge Conservation Commission, these free classes take place at the Cambridge Public Library (449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA).

  • Thursday, June 29, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Pruning the Early Bloomers

    On Thursday, June 29 beginning at 7 pm at The Gardens at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley, join Jen Kettell for an introduction to pruning early-blooming shrubs. During the summer excitement, it can be challenging to remember to return to these early-season lovelies! However, we want to complete any major renovation and structural pruning as soon after blooming as possible. This training will serve both as a reminder to get to it! and an exploration of now, which plants are we talking about? Sign up now for a fun and productive lesson. Mass Hort members $12, nonmembers $20.  Register online at www.masshort.org or call 617933-4973.

    Jen Kettell is a certified arborist and horticulturist serving the New England area. For more than a decade, she worked as a staff horticulturist at Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum. Now she shares her passion for teaching horticulture through the training she provides to both homeowners and green industry professionals. She is a guest lecturer and trainer at the University of Massachusetts, MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, New England Wildflower Society, and the Arnold Arboretum. Learn more about Jen at www.JenKettell.com.  Image from www.provenwinners.com.

  • Saturday, January 28, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Pruning in Winter

    On Saturday, January 28 from 9 – 12, Jen Kettell, an ISA-certified arborist, will explain the reasons for pruning and what to consider when pruning dormant trees, shrubs, and vines. She will demonstrate techniques, give guidelines for determining which plants benefit from winter pruning, and explain how plants heal from pruning wounds. Note: this Arnold Arboretum workshop, to be held in the Hunnewell Building, teaches ornamental pruning techniques; it does not provide information on pruning for fruit production. Fee $35 Arboretum member, $48 nonmember. Register online at www.arboretum.harvard.edu. Image from www.welldonelandscaping.com.

  • Saturday, September 24, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm – Pruning Shrubs and Small Ornamental Trees

    Autumn is a great time to assess your woody plants for shape and structure. This Berkshire Botanical Garden demonstration and workshop, led by Forest Health Program Director for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and arborist Ken Gooch on Saturday, September 24 at 9:30 am, focuses on pruning, including when, why and how to shape, renovate, train, or rejuvenate your woody plants. Learn about pruning tools, timing, and specific techniques suited to the home gardener. Pruning techniques for evergreen and deciduous hedges will also be covered. Wear waterproof outerwear and boots; bring pruners.

    Ken Gooch is the Forest Health Program Director for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Additionally, he is a Massachusetts Certified Arborist and teaches arboriculture at the BBG. He lectures widely on a variety of topics including forest health, pruning, and arboriculture. BBG member price $25, nonmembers $30. Register online at www.berkshirebotanical.org.

  • Saturday, October 3, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Pruning

    Learn essential gardening skills at Garden in the Woods in Framingham.  On Saturday, October 3 from 2 – 3 pm, experts will show you how to get the most beautiful results in your garden.  Fee is $16 for NEWFS members, $20 for nonmembers.  Register at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/weekend-gardening-series-pruning-1.

  • Monday, June 15, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Pruning Project: Taming the Early Season Bloomers

    Now is the time to prune those early-blooming shrubs–once they’ve flowered–so their growth through the summer can fuel the development of next year’s buds. ISA-certified arborist Jen Kettell will focus your attention on the kinds of shrubs that should be pruned now, various pruning cuts, and the type of thinning that will encourage health and vibrant blooms for years to come. This Arnold Arboretum class will be held Monday, June 15, from 6:30 – 8:30 in the Hunnewell Building, 125 Arborway, Jamaica Plain. To register, visit https://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Info.aspx?DayPlanner=1427&DayPlannerDate=6/15/2015.  Fee $25 member, $35 nonmember.  Picture from www.davesgarden.com.

  • Sunday, April 12, 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm – Pruning: How, When, Where

    Early spring is an excellent time to prune many woody plants. In this New England Wild Flower Society hands-on workshop, participants will work in small groups and receive instruction on how to prune woody plants. Discover ways to enhance a plant’s vigor, health, and appearance, and learn which tools to use, when to prune, and how plants respond. Bring hand pruners, dress in outdoor work clothes, and come prepared for the elements. Class will be held Sunday, April 12 from 1:30 – 4:30 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, and will be led by Deborah Howe, landscape architect and President of Lighthall Company. $40 for NEWFS members, $48 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newenglandwild.org/learn/our-programs/pruning-how-when-where.

  • Saturday, April 11, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Rejuvenating Shrubs – Lilacs, Weigela, Forsythia, and More

    Is that old lilac refusing to flower? Spring is a great time to assess your woody shrubs for shape and structure. This Berkshire Botanical Garden hands-on workshop on Saturday, April 11 from 9 – 12 will focus on when, why and how to renovate or rejuvenate your woody plants. Learn about tools, timing and specific techniques available to the home gardener. Following a lecture and several pruning demonstrations, participants will learn by doing. The program will take place at the Education Center at Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge, and is $35 for BBG members, $40 for nonmembers.

    Instructor Ron Yaple, A.A.S. Forestry, MCA/CLA, owner of Race Mountain Tree Services, has developed a regional reputation as one of the premier arborists. His company serves the tri-state region and is a full-service company. He is a dedicated and knowledgeable teacher of arboriculture. Register online at http://www.berkshirebotanical.org/event/rejuvenating-shrubs-lilacs-weigela-forsythia-and-more-2/?instance_id=3280

  • Saturday, March 28, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – Pruning for Fruit Production

    This Berkshire Botanical Garden demonstration/workshop on Saturday, March 28 from 10 – 3 (snow date Sunday, March 29) will focus on the specifics of pruning stone and pome fruit trees and some small fruits, including cane fruits and ribes. Unlike ornamental woody plants, pruning for fruit is a special science that is designed to maximize fruit production. Learn the principles of pruning for shape, size and, most importantly, fruit production. Watch a structural pruning demonstration on newly planted fruit trees. Semi-dwarf orchard trees, including mature and newly planted trees, will be available for pruning. The workshop will take place offsite and participants should dress warmly and bring pruners and a bag lunch. $75 for BBG members, $85 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.berkshirebotanical.org/event/pruning-for-fruit-production-pome-and-stone-fruit-trees-2/?instance_id=3300.

    Steve McKay is the former Grape and Small Fruit Specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension in eastern New York State. He has a B.S. in entomology from U.C. Davis and a M.S. in pomology. He own Micosta, a fruit nursery located in Hudson, NY. He specializes in traditional and unusual fruit tree and small fruits.