Okay, here’s my blog post about pruning my weeping willow, written in a casual, personal style:
So, I finally got around to tackling the weeping willow in my backyard. It was starting to look a bit, well, weepy in a bad way – more like a giant, messy mop than a graceful tree. I knew it needed a good trim, but I was a little intimidated, to be honest. I mean, it’s a pretty big tree!
First, I grabbed my tools. I made sure I had:
- Loppers: Those long-handled clippers for the thicker branches.
- Hand pruners: For the smaller, more delicate stuff.
- A pruning saw: Just in case I encountered a really stubborn branch.
- Gloves: Willow branches can be a bit scratchy.
- Safety glasses: Gotta protect the eyes!
I started by walking around the tree, just looking at it. I was trying to figure out which branches really needed to go. I focused on the three D’s : dead, damaged, or diseased. Those are always the first to go.
Getting to Work
I snipped off any small, twiggy growth that was rubbing against other branches. I made clean cuts, just above a bud or a branch junction. I remembered what grandma always told me, cut at an angle!
Next, I tackled some of the lower-hanging branches. These were starting to sweep the ground, and while it looked kind of romantic, it also made it hard to mow! I used the loppers for these, making sure to cut back to the branch collar – that little swollen area where the branch meets the trunk. I did not want to leave any stubs because that did not look very good.
There were a couple of thicker branches that were growing straight up, kind of ruining the weeping shape. I hesitated for a bit, then decided to take them out. This was where the pruning saw came in handy. It took some work, but I was able to cut, and take them down safely.
I kept stepping back to look at the tree from a distance, making sure I wasn’t taking off too much at once. It’s easy to get carried away! I reminded myself that I could always take off more later, but I couldn’t put it back on.
After a couple of hours, I was finally done. The willow looked so much better! It was still weeping, but in a much more elegant way. The whole tree looked healthier and more balanced. I cleaned up all the branches and felt pretty good about my afternoon of yard work.
It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. And honestly, the tree looks a million times better. Now I can actually walk under it without getting whacked in the face by branches! Success!
