Sunday Gardener: A guide to pruning from Bartlett Tree Experts
AROUND FREEZING. HEY IT’S AVA MARIE AND IT’S TIME FOR SUNDAY GARDENER I’M HERE AT VALLEY VIEW FARMS WITH CARRIE ENGEL AND WE HAVE A GUEST TODAY. WE HAVE ALEX HINDER WITH BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS. HEY, THIS IS A GOOD TIME OF YEAR TO TAKE CARE OF THE TREES, BECAUSE WE’RE GOING TO GET THE WINDS AND EVENTUALLY THE SNOW AND BRANCHES MIGHT COME DOWN. THAT’S RIGHT. AND THEY’RE GOING DORMANT. SO YOU’RE NOT REALLY GOING TO AFFECT THE TREE’S GROWTH THAT MUCH. IT’S A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT GOOD TIME OF YEAR. YEAH. SO YOU KNOW YOU WERE SAYING WE WANT TO TAKE DOWN BRANCHES BEFORE THEY BECOME A HAZARD. HOW DO YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE? OBVIOUSLY IT’S EASY WHEN THERE’S LEAVES ON. HOW DO YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN THERE’S NOT. RIGHT. SO IF THIS STILL IF THIS DIDN’T HAVE LEAVES ON IT, YOU WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO BEND THE BRANCH PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY WITHOUT IT UNTIL IT BROKE. AND THEN WHEN IT DID BREAK. YEP. AND THEN WHEN IT BROKE, YOU COULD SEE THE COLOR, THE DIFFERENCE IN COLOR ON THE INSIDE. WHEREAS THIS IS A DEAD BRANCH BECAUSE YOU SAID I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SNAP IT, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO. WE NEED SAFETY. OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL RIGHT. GOOD. SO IF YOU HOLD THAT NEXT TO THIS ONE, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN COLOR. YEAH. THIS ONE’S REALLY BRITTLE I COULD SEE THAT OKAY. SO WHAT KIND OF TOOLS MIGHT PEOPLE USE. SO FOR PRUNING YOU COULD USE A SAW LIKE THIS. IF IT’S A SMALLER DIAMETER BRANCH YOU COULD USE A HAND SNIPS LIKE THIS OR ANOTHER PRUNING SAW LIKE THIS OKAY. SO A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A BRANCH THAT WOULD BE REMOVED IN THIS SCENARIO WOULD BE THIS BRANCH RIGHT HERE. SO YEAH I CAN SEE EVEN JUST YOU TOUCHING IT. IT’S KIND OF DECAYING. YEP. YEAH. SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD CANDIDATE TO REMOVE FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE FOR THIS AREA. YEAH. THERE’S SIDEWALKS. THERE’S CARS. YOU DON’T WANT THEM COMING DOWN. ONE MORE THING. MY NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT. THEY’VE BEEN NOTICING LANTERNFLIES, AND I JUST I WAS SURPRISED, LIKE HOW MUCH THEY’VE BEEN LEAVING ON THE TREES. BUT YOU DON’T. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. RIGHT. SO THIS IS THE SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES EGG MASS RIGHT HERE IN THE FALL WHEN THEY GO DORMANT, THEY LAY THEIR EGGS FOR THE NEXT SPRING. AND THESE ARE WHAT YOU WANT TO LOOK OUT FOR. YOU CAN KIND OF SCRAPE THEM OFF IF YOU GET THEM FRESH ENOUGH. OKAY. THIS ONE’S KIND OF DRIED ON. IF THEY WERE FRESHER, THEY WOULD SCRAPE RIGHT OFF AND THEY WOULD HAVE SOME JUICE. INTERESTING, BECAUSE FROM AFAR IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE LICHEN, BUT THIS IS CLEARLY LIKE A DIFFERENT COLOR. YEP. IF YOU GET CLOSE ENOUGH, IT’S EASIER TO TELL. OKAY, SO NOW A GOOD TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THE BRANCHES, GET RID OF THOSE NASTY EGGS BEFORE THEY HATCH NEXT YEAR. SO I TAKE MY TAKE MY LITTLE PUTTY KNIFE OUT. THAT’S RIGHT. I LIKE KEEP IT HANDY. THAT’S ALWAYS ON CUE. THAT’S RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE TIP. YOU’RE WELCOME. ON SUNDAY, GARDENER.
Sunday Gardener: A guide to pruning from Bartlett Tree Experts
Updated: 2:41 PM EST Nov 16, 2025
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Bartlett Tree Experts share their guidance on pruning dead branches and how to identify them.
Bartlett Tree Experts share their guidance on pruning dead branches and how to identify them.
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