After the great green boom of spring, summer can seem harsh. The extreme heat and frequent dryness can be detrimental to your yard. Extended periods of heat, which are common throughout July and August for most of the United States, can cause heat stress for your trees and other plants. Understanding heat stress and planning ahead can help you keep your yard looking great throughout the summer months.

Why Does Heat Stress Occur?

Plants, of course, rely on water to function normally. To keep cool, water travels through plants’ roots up to the leaves. It is then released through the underside of the leaves. When it is very hot, this process is accelerated, so plants run through their water fast. The plants undergo a similar feeling as the one you may have felt if you have ever worked in the hot sun for a long time and found yourself dehydrated.

Signs of Heat Stress

If you are uncertain whether you should be concerned about your plants, take a closer look. Since heat stressed plants are essentially becoming dehydrated, the plants have a dried out appearance. Leaves will look droopy and crisp around the edges; they also may turn yellowish. The blooming on plants will stop, and fruits or blossoms will prematurely drop off the plant. The entire plant will also begin to wilt. If your plants are showing any of these characteristics this summer, it’s time to combat heat stress.

Water Deeply

One of the most important ways to combat heat stress this summer is to create a good water schedule. It is necessary to water deeply so that the roots can absorb and hold as much water as possible. A good way to do this is with a drip hose buried beneath mulch. A gentle watering allows the water to seep deep into the soil for the best absorption. In general, plants should be watered deeply three times a week for an hour to an hour and a half. Test this time frame and adjust it based on how your plants respond. Keep in mind that overwatering can be bad, too!

Mulch

Organic mulch helps plants in two major ways. When it is laid around the plant, it lowers the temperatures of the root system by insulating the ground. Organic mulch also helps keep moisture in the ground. Good organic mulch materials include leaves, wood chips, grass clippings, and straw. Layer the materials about one and a half inches thick.

Liz Childers writes for Grandview Outdoor, a company happy to advise about keeping your plants healthy in the summer or any other Landscaping NJ issues.

Spring is often considered the most popular season of the year because nature comes back to life after a long, harsh winter. Trees are finally in bloom – every branch full of green, shady leaves. Flowers are fragrant and colorful, attracting flittering birds and buzzing bees. But if your yard is still suffering from the dead foliage left behind from fall and winter, there are few tips to help clear the debris. Enjoy nature’s bounty in your own front
yard by applying these six tips to revitalize your Snellville property.

1.       Shrub Removal –

Shrubs are a great way to add depth to your landscaping, but only if they’re healthy. Many shrubs need regular pruning to prevent overgrowth, especially in the spring. If your shrubs have become too much to handle and you’ve grown tired of pruning, consider shrub
removal.

Still, shrubs can easily fall victim to decay if planted improperly or afflicted by an insect infestation. In this case, it’s best to remove shrubs and re-landscape with new plants or other voluminous vegetation.

2.       Kudzu Removal –

If you live in the southeastern part of the United States or even in areas like Scottsdale, Arizona you’re well acquainted with the destructive, creeping kudzu vine. And spring weather is just the fuel this invasive plant needs to spread its leafy fingers and
overtake whole acres of land. Start the kudzu removal process now with
professional removal techniques before it’s too late!

3.       Tree Trimming –

Winter storms and snow fall wreak havoc on trees across America. In fact, broken tree branches are one of the most common reasons why professional landscapers are on call. Clearing away fallen or decayed limbs is an easy way to tidy up your lawn. Keep your trees healthy and yourself safe by pruning overgrown or weakened branches. Trimming tree branches also encourages new growth and a longer life span for your beloved trees.

4.       Tree Removal –

Areas of the country that have experienced extreme weather conditions during the previous winter season may require tree removal to reclaim a vibrant property. Fallen trees are an eyesore and can bring about tree diseases and insect infestations if left to rot. They’re also dangerous as the tree may still be settling or lying on top of other questionable debris. With the help of tree care professionals, tree removal is easy and
quick.

5.       Weed Control –

Just like shrubs, weeds can quickly take over your lawn and trample new growth.  Keep your lawn in check with a simple application of herbicide. You’ll kill existing weeds and prevent new ones from cropping up around newly planted plants and flowers. Weed control also keeps insects at bay, which can be troublesome to your lawn as well as your home. If you’re uncomfortable with spraying chemicals yourself, have a professional apply them safely and accurately.

 6.       Landscaping –

Once you’ve cleared out all the rotted vegetation from winter, removed diseased shrubs and plants and tidied up your trees, it’s time to add some landscaping features. Consider lining walkways with small plants or symmetrical shrubs. Dig a flower bed under windows or near the driveway. Plant a new tree to break up empty acreage. There are a million
ways to inspire interest in your lawn and revitalize your curb appeal. Best of all, new landscaping adds value to your home!

Photo credit: Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot

After spending some quality time in a forest, you will find it hard to find any other location able to rival the bountiful peace, tranquility and fun to be had in a forest.  Tree canopies in forests are able to offer great shelter for other wildlife and humans alike.  If you’re looking for a peaceful place to be one with nature or an exciting outdoor adventure, plan a trip to a National Park forest!

Nature

The types of wildlife that can be found in our forests are truly stunning. Squirrels, bugs, birds, fish and toads in the deep, cool lakes are all beautiful features of the forest. Naturally, forests are a great place to experience nature at first hand.  Whether it’s for an afternoon’s stroll or a full holiday, the forest is an exciting place for adults and children to explore.  You will be surprised at how the hours will easily pass just by sitting quietly amongst the trees and watching the wildlife before you.

Peace

People often have the misconception that the forest is dead silent, but it is really anything but silent.  As a matter of fact, the first thing that you will notice is the abundance of nature calls and noises in the forest.  The tree tops above bounce the sounds around, creating an eerie echo that can be quite peaceful. It can make you feel as if time has stopped right then and there in the forest. In short you really feel at one with nature when you are under the trees. The smell is also something quite extraordinary.  Sometimes slightly bitter, the smell of tree sap, green grass and lush leaves will bombard you and tickle your nose.

Family Days Out

Families with young children will find the forest to be endlessly fun.  During the fall, it is always exciting to explore the leaves on the ground and to find beautiful leaves of yellow, orange and reds. Enjoy a nice picnic, with a blanket, a hamper and a lovely bottle of wine, while the kids explore and enjoy– you will have the most romantic lunch date known to man!

Poking long sticks into deep dark lakes, exploring the noises and watching fish skim the surface can be really exciting and will grasp any child’s attention. Spotting toads and other pond creatures is often fascinating for adults and children alike.  They also offer some magical photography opportunities. In fact photography in the forest offers some of the most stunning opportunities of all. With amazing colors and a very special type of light you can capture wonderful moments in a snapshot to treasure forever.

In the winter months there is once again a whole new experience to enjoy with snowfall hugging the trees and giving them an entirely new edge for appreciation and photography.  Pull on your boots and wrap up warm.

Lodges and Camping

A fantastic way to enjoy the forest is to sleep in it. Whether you plan on camping as a couple, as a group of friends or as a small family group everyone should sleep in a forest at some point in their lives, it is just one of those ‘things to do’.  Across the country and the world, adventure style holidays will rent you beautiful and well appointed lodges providing you a home away from home experience, so you can enjoy the forest through the whole day and night.  Camping is also a great opportunity for watching nature in action, spotting birds and wildlife at your leisure. There will be plenty of adventure style activities for you to try out while you are one with nature.

The best way to be at one with the forest is to camp there. Pitching a tent with the help of family and friends, collecting wood for the fire and sitting around the embers until the late hours is pretty hard to beat.  Sleeping under the starlit canvas of the night sky and waking up to the sounds of the forest can be very spiritual and purely magical.

Just ask your friends and family.  They will tell you that many of their favorite childhood memories are set in a forest; exploring the trees, being one with nature, having amazing adventures and simply being kids! Even at a young age, children have a fantastic ability to appreciate the special quality forests have to offer.  Any parent who wishes to help create special treasured memories for their kids has to make time for a trip in the forest: to explore, to climb, to photograph and to love the forest and all it has to offer.

Katrina Blake is a freelance writer from England who normally writes reviews for an eBay courier company in a logistics industry blog. As a mother of two she loves taking her kids to the forest to play and explore, and it makes a nice change from looking at trucks all day.

In cities like Savannah where the trees are in bloom and the daffodils have unfurled, the world is once again abuzz with nature. And though many are relieved that temperatures are mild and days are longer, there’s one thing that Georgia residents could do without: carpenter bees.

Busy Bees

Among the insects and wildlife that emerge from their winter
slumber at the beginning of April, carpenter bees are one of the most
irritating. Often referred to as wood bees, these larger-than-life bumblebees
bore their way into the nooks and crannies of any wooden structure, from decks
and wood siding to fascia and wood flooring. Though they aren’t feasting on the
wood, they burrow deep into the structure to lay their eggs. And if the holes
aren’t reason enough to irk you, the sawdust that piles up outside their lair
will start eating you up!

Savannah carpenter bee

Most often treated wood is left untouched, with bees preferring softer wood for easier boring. But don’t be surprised if even painted or stained wooden structures, such as sundecks and porches, fall prey to these busy bees. Carpenter bees dig new holes each year, which is why more holes appear time after time.

Even though carpenter bees are essential for pollinating trees and flowers, there is a way to stop them from damaging your Savannah property. Carpenter bee control involves plugging up nest entrances to reduce damage caused by moisture during the rainy season. Certain pesticides can also be sprayed directly into the nest to terminate larvae and deter re-infestation.

However, the major misconception with these insects is that they burrow in the spring. But in fact, they burrow in the winter just like other insects. They only appear to be burrowing during the spring because the larvae are now matured and escaping. This means that they time to expel these critters from your carpentry is in the winter.

And if your Savannah property is suspect to woodpeckers, it’s likely that they’ll hunt down carpenter bee larvae wherever they’re hiding. Soon, not only will you have holes in your wooden structures from bees, the birds will be at it as well. So before woodpeckers start drilling holes into the side of your house or deck looking for easy food, have your home
treated by a professional before irreversible damage occurs.

In 2005, a section of the United Nations known as the Food and Agriculture Organisation released an alarming report on the rates of deforestation. The report stated that the Earth’s total area of forests declines by around 13 million hectares a year (although on the plus side, the report also said the global rate of deforestation has been slowing). While these figures might well have changed in recent years, it does not take a particularly erudite member of society to realize that forests as they stand will not be around forever.

Many organizations and many operations are in place to ensure the continued survival of these lush verdant paradises, but much of what they do is marred by politics and the ever-present threat of continued/increasing rates of deforestation. If you believe everything you hear, then the forest realm is severely under threat and may not be around in its present state for much longer. However, this is not necessarily the case, as visiting said forests will yield many magnificent wonders to behold and is well worth the time and effort required to go and see them in all of their radiant splendor. Put the naysayers in their place and go and see these endangered forests for yourself.

The Amazon Rainforest, South America

Widely considered to be chief amongst forests and certainly one of the most popular images conjured up by the mere mention of the word “forest”, the Amazon Rainforest is king of the ecological hotspots and with good reason.

The Amazon Rainforest is truly immense and covers a large part of the North of the South American continent. The basin itself takes up around seven million square kilometres, with five and a half million of that being comprised of rainforest. Not only that, but the Amazon also spans nine countries, including Colombia, Peru, French Guyana, Guyana, Suriname, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Brazil. One can certainly say that the Amazon is not a small place in the slightest.

The climate of the Amazon, being hot, humid, and with ample rainfall, has lead to a very diverse and plentiful ecosystem. Such biodiversity includes two and a half million species of insect, over two thousand birds and mammals, forty thousand species of plant, and the list just goes on. The Amazon is never one to disappoint and would make for the greatest of adventures.

Ottowa National Forest

Somewhat different when compared to a rainforest, but no less of a magnificent forest, the Ottowa National Forest spans over four thousand square kilometres in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan.

The climate here receives quite an abundance of rainfall throughout the entire year, as well as large quantities of snow in the winter season, so is varied enough that potential visitors might need to plan and see which type of weather they would want to experience the most.

The area itself is marked by its characteristic wooded slopes, lined with aspens, hardwoods, tamarack, and even pine. The area is never bereft of visually-stimulating forestry and is quite simply a wonder to behold.

Perusing the lakes and trees, taking in the sights, are not the only things that the National Forest has to offer, as kayaking, canoeing, and fishing are all popular local activities, ensuring that physical boredom is staved off at the same time mental boredom is, via the sights. Naturally, the winter snow is also taken advantage of, with cross-country skiing and snowmobiling being popular choices.

Banff National Park

Allegedly Canada’s oldest national park, being established in 1885, Banff National Park occupies over six and a half thousand square kilometres slightly west of Calgary, in Alberta. The climate of the park is accentuated by a modicum amount of yearly rainfall, but is perhaps best defined by its winter season, which large amounts of snowfall and very cold/freezing conditions. The winter tourism season is a particular highlight, with events being displayed including ski jumping, cross-country skiing, and other typical winter goings on.

The park itself has roughly 56 species of mammal on offer, such as black and grizzly bears, lynx, cougar, wolves, weasels, and the elusive caribou – which remains as one of the rarest mammals to be found in the park.

With its interesting climate, abundances of both activities and wildlife, Banff National Park definitely isn’t short of things to both do and see.

Katrina Blake is a freelance writer from England who normally writes reviews of beds and leather sectionals. As a mother of two she loves taking her kids to the forest to play and explore, and it makes a nice change from looking at chairs all day.   

It’s a common fact that just about every animal in Australia has some sort of deadly defense, but now even the trees are out to do harm. One tree in particular is taking aim at local residents of Warragul, Victoria with some heavy hitters – literally. The Bunya pine, a tree that has been growing in the southeastern territory of Victoria for over 120 years has produced whopping watermelon-sized pine cones. The 10 kilo pine cones, which weigh approximately 22 pounds, are now threatening passersby as they fall from nearly 20 meters high.

So why haven’t we heard about these green pineapple-looking tree bombs before? Apparently the pine cones take a while to get to their mammoth size – it takes over a decade before they’re big enough to fall. The offending Bunya pine tree, the only offender so far, hasn’t dropped pine cones on Smith Street for more than 15 years. The recent event of their descent has area locals looking perplexed.

Of course, if pine cones the size of small dogs were falling from trees in the United States – even in San Antonio where everything is huge – we’d be baffled as well.

It’s one thing to make minced meat out of a rodent in the outback if one of these cones came raining down, but this tree is located in a highly public area. This Bunya tree grows on the grounds of the very popular Courthouse Hotel and restaurant. Just one pine cone landing on a patron’s head can cause serious damage and lead to a potential lawsuit.

To prevent injury, barricades have been placed around the tree’s canopy to protect residents using the footpath near the tree. The owner of the restaurant has sought council with a professional arborist to determine the best way to preserve the tree without jeopardizing public safety. So far the best plan involves building a platform for arborists to reach the lofty pine and collect the pine cones. They hope this will facilitate the removal of the pine cones without invasive techniques such as tree trimming or tree topping.

Larger than expected pine cones don’t only occur in Australia though. The sugar pine trees of Texas also produce extra large pine cones. But these will most likely not cause a concussion.

Unlike trees that grow naturally in the wilderness, trees that we plant in our backyard and other urban areas need to be taken care of. Forest trees survive on their own under the care of Mother Nature. And they don’t face as much risks as the trees that get regular contact with humans. Caring for trees is not as simple as pruning away wayward branches and spraying insecticides. It needs in-depth knowledge about the nature of trees. That’s why if you need to care for your trees, you must hire the services of a company that offer tree services in Chapel Hill to do the job for you in a professional manner. This is especially true if your trees are threatened by diseases.

But you don’t need to wait for your trees to get sick to start caring for it. You must start looking after your trees’ health at the time of planting. Consider your trees as your own children who need your constant care and attention. So you can have a good start, consider these following tips on how to care for trees.

Take A Tree Caring Quiz – Evaluate your knowledge about trees so you will find out which particular about tree caring that you need to improve. You might have some basic knowledge about trees, but this may not be enough. A quiz will help you assess your capabilities to look after your trees’ health and general welfare. There are plenty of these quizzes in the Internet. Or you can contact a company who provide tree services for this.

Staking A Tree Must Be Limited – Tree-staking is not intended to harm a tree, although a lot of people are unintentionally harming their trees by improper staking. Staking is aimed at promoting the growth of root and trunk and to protect a young tree from danger.

Transplant Trees – You need to move your trees from a nursery in your yard. Don’t leave them taking root in a very limited soil space. And don’t wait for your trees to grow big before transplanting them.

Protect The Critical Root Zone (CRZ) Of Your Trees – This zone is the area directly under the tree and extending to its drip line. Improving the health conditions in the CRZ of your tree will help ensure your tree’s early growth.

Mulching Your Trees – This is one of the most beneficial of all tree caring activities. Mulches are various materials that are placed on the surface of the soil immediately surrounding your tree. This improves the oxygen level, soil structure, moisture availability and temperature.

Applying Fertilizers To Your Tree – Growing trees must be given fertilizers all throughout the year, with the greatest amounts being applied in early spring and during the summer months. On what type of fertilizers to use, inquire from experts on tree services for professional advice.

The Arbor Day Foundation has designated the third Thursday of February as Arbor Day in the state of Georgia. Though National Arbor Day isn’t until the third Friday of April, February is the optimal time to plant trees in southern soil. To kick off the festivities for 2012 hundreds of Roswell volunteers celebrated with tree planting events throughout the city.

National Arbor Day

Arbor Day was founded in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska as a holiday that looked toward the future rather than the past.  Morton couldn’t think of a better way to propose the future than planting trees across America. Since then holiday has continued on throughout the decades with each state celebrating on its own designated day.
The reason why each state observes Arbor Day independently depends on the specific climate zone of the region. Tree-planting season changes based on weather conditions, elevation, water supply and ground temperatures.

Georgia’s climate zone is 6-9, which means that the ideal planting season runs from November to March. The relatively low temperature extremes of the Piedmont region in February allow trees plenty of time to root and absorb groundwater before the sweltering summer arrives.

seedling to be planted in Roswell

Roswell’s Contribution

Organizations like the Roswell Rotary Club, the Boy and Girl Scouts of America and local non-profits pooled their efforts to envision a project, entitled “Trees Across Roswell”, to commence during the week of Arbor Day 2012. The celebration began at the Chattanooga Nature Center on Feb. 17 where the Roswell Rotary Club contributed 2,500 seedlings to be planted the following day. Children were given maps and specific instructions to plant trees in area parks, schools, and churches throughout the city.

Roswell Rotary also contributed 50 trees to be planted by Girl Scout troops at Hembree Springs Elementary School as part of the project. The students there say they are looking forward to watching the trees grow each year.

Roswell’s contributions to Arbor Day not only include tree planting; volunteers get an opportunity to learn about the native trees of their region and get a lesson in tree care. The urban forestry efforts of Roswell and the city of Atlanta has made them Tree City USA recipients, an honor that includes 137 communities in Georgia and has remained for more than 25 years.

Atlanta Area Tree Events

Other organizations throughout the metro-Atlanta area celebrated Arbor Day with ambitious tree plantings as well.  The City of Decatur held its second-annual Nalley Tree Festival, which is part of the Nalley Tree Campaign to plant 10,000 trees throughout Decatur and Dekalb County.

Trees Atlanta teamed up with Mayor Kasim Reed to kick off PLANT 2012 which also endeavors to plant 10,000 trees in the Atlanta area. The remaining trees, funded by the City of Atlanta Tree Trust Fund, were planted along Freedom Parkway over the weekend with the help of a special guest, Dr. Seuss’s friend, the Lorax.

Though Arbor Day is a celebration that happens once a year, there are plenty of other ways to get involved in beautifying your city throughout the year. Connect with local non-profit organizations like Trees Atlanta or the Roswell Rotary Club for a schedule of events and make a difference in your area.

Photo courtesy criminalatt

On the outskirts of Atlanta, residents of Decatur have come together for a tree planting ceremony on February 8 to revitalize the section of neglected land between Delano and Line Drive. By planting new trees and removing shrubs and invasive plants, members of the White Oak Hills Neighborhood Association hope to find a diamond in the rough to restore their community.

The restoration project, headed by the DeKalb County Natural Resources Management Office and Five Star Partners, has been in motion since 2008. Plans to create a new park near Memorial Drive, aptly named Delano Line Park, demonstrate Dekalb County’s commitment to sustainability. Not only that, but it stands to educate local residents about the importance of maintaining healthy habitats and watersheds for native plants and animals. Currently, the wooded area is used to dump car parts and other waste, which has prompted the site restoration.

Project Plans

Though the tree planting is only part of the restoration
efforts, there is much more work to be done to make the area into a respectable
park and thriving ecosystem. Volunteers from local schools, non-profit
organizations and businesses have graciously given more than 500 hours of time
to the project, which includes:

• Removing Invasive and Exotic Plants along the
  riparian zone
• Removing debris and trash equaling over seven
  tons from headwaters
• Clearing land for trails and public gathering
  spaces
• Planting trees and other native plants
• Protecting sanitary sewer line that runs through
  the area

The project not only encourages the community to get involved in restoring the neglected area, it promotes environmental education. Six schools in the district have participated in various ways, which allows students to directly impact their community and make Decatur a better place to live.

Five Star Partners

Delano Line Park would only be a vision, a blueprint on someone’s desk, if it weren’t for the joint efforts of several Associations. The Five Star Partners include the White Oak Hills Neighborhood Association, the Academe of the Oaks, and Watershed Management. With funding from Southern Company as well as grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, more than 1,200 linear feet of stream and riparian zone habitat has been restored as of this month. And that’s only one example of the successful results thus far. Of course, the project encourages participation from anyone willing to give time and effort to the cause.

Other plans on the agenda include:

• Creating a community garden
• Leveling land to develop a playground area
• Building pavilions and other shelters for public
  gatherings
• Improve footpaths and enhance streetscape at
  neighborhood entrances
• Enhance views to Shoal Creek  with pedestrian overlooks and benches

It’s unknown how long it will take to make Delano Line Park a reality. But with neighborhood involvement and participation, help from new partners, and a constant eye on the goal, the project will reach completion. Working with Decatur area tree service
professionals who provide shrub removal, debris hauling and tree planting will greatly improve the natural ecosystem and make Delano Line Park an inviting retreat for local residents.

Photo credits go to photostock and Evgeni Dinev.

Shrubs are often neglected when it comes to winter
maintenance because they seem heartier and pose less of a threat than trees.
But the truth is that shrubs deserve just as much attention as trees when it
comes to trimming. To keep your plants healthy and lush through Scottdale’s winter
months, consider trimming overgrowth to make way for new growth in spring. But
before you pick up your shears, you should know a thing or two about how to
prune the specific types of shrubs in your yard.

First, determine how your shrubs grow. There are three types
of growth patterns for shrubs:

• Cane – shrubs like forsythia and nandina have
  erect shoots, like canes, that form from the base.
• Tree-like – shrubs with woodier, divided
  branches like rhododendrons.
• Mounding – occurs in shrubs like azaleas and
  spirea. They have soft, flexible branches and small leaves.

Knowing how plants grow determines the type of cut necessary
to promote regrowth. There are two main techniques for
pruning and removing shrub overgrowth.

tree trimming in Scottdale, Arizona

Heading Cut

Heading cuts are made on an angle near the sight of a bud, but usually leave a couple of inches of the stem behind. Heading cuts encourage new growth closest to the bud and may also determine a specific direction of
new foliage. Selective heading cuts are used to limit the height of shrubs and
give them a more natural appearance. Non-selective, or random, cuts will reduce
the height of shrubs, but end up making them bushy and too full.

Thinning Cut

Thinning cuts are made close to the sight of a bud, snipping
the entire branch. Just like their name suggests, thinning cuts reduce the
amount of regrowth each year to thin a shrub’s density. It’s a great way to
avoid overgrown, bushy shrubs or correct improper heading cuts. However,
thinning cuts must be made correctly as well to encourage the current buds to
continue to grow. Cutting too close to the joint may dry out the bud. As well,
too shallow of an angle can rot the branch and kill the remaining buds.

Three Types of Growth Patterns

These cuts should be made in correlation with the type of
shrub present on your landscape. If you have cane growth shrubs, remove the
tallest canes first by sawing them close to ground level. The remaining canes
can them be thinned from the center to allow ample room for each cane to grow
back.

Tree-like shrubs require thinning cuts to remove any
branches that are rubbing together. By clearing out the center of the shrub,
thinning cuts increase the amount of light penetration to encourage regrowth in
the spring. The woody branches are hearty enough to stand alone, making the
shrub look near death in the winter. It’s also important to trim low-lying
branches to avoid any roots from taking hold of them and spreading the plant
outward. Heading cuts should be reserved until the last steps of pruning to
regulate the height of the shrub without making it too thin.

For mounding plants use thinning cuts to trim only the
longest branches, leaving the center to grow naturally. The shrub’s density
will decrease drastically for the winter, but will retain its proper shape by
spring without looking bushy.

It’s most important to remove any dead, diseased
or decaying branches to protect the remaining branches. If undetected during
pruning the entire shrub can die before spring. Use thinning cuts into healthy
wood to be sure to get every trace of decay. It’s not necessary to cover the
exposed wound if the cut is made clean and proper. The shrub will have plenty
of time to heal before new growth begins.