Summer pruning

Step away from the pool and think about this: Summer is the time to seriously prune your peach tree, apricot and the plum if they are getting too tall. Of course you will want to fine prune again in January, but now is the time to reduce the height of your fruit trees so they are pickable without a ladder later. 

And if your flowering shrubs aren’t blooming like they used to, whack those back quick-like so you won’t interfere with their bud development later. Cut and shape your philadelphus, leptospermum, spiraea and cistus to get new blooming wood for next year.

If you lace out the Japanese maples bring the branches inside. This image from Jessica Helgerson Interior Design got me thinking why we don’t do more of that in Southern California.

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New York Times—Grow your own six pack. The best hops to grow at home.