Actually, right now it isn’t technically either spring or fall. It’s still winter, but you’d hardly know it given the brilliant sunshine, warm(ish) temps and budding trees throughout Seattle.
Sword Fern in May Looks Great After an Early Spring Trim
It really feels like spring — even with light frosts sparkling in the early morning sunshine. This kind of weather reminds me to get out and get the garden tidied up ahead of the already arriving spring growth surge.
Over the weekend, I raked up leaves left over winter to protect beds. Getting them up now means less happy slug habitat this spring. I dug and divided hosts, cut back sword fern and epimedium, thinned sedums overtaking patio edges, and I pruned – a lot.
My neighbor invited me to proceed thinning and limbing up a large tree in the northwest corner of her lot. Over the years it was 1) topped about 9 or so years ago and 2) it has been neglected since then. It is a broadleaf evergreen and it has been blocking more and more light into my garden over the years; it overshadows my Southwest corner. So, with freshly sterilized saw and shears in hand, I embarked on removing the dead and broken material on its interior. I thinned multiple leaders that had shot out from prior year topping. In the end, the tree looks like a tree again rather than an overgrown shrub. Light and air are able to pass through its interior, which not only helps my garden but will improve the tree’s health over time. Sadly, my health took a hit when I mis-stepped and took a nasty tumble.
Nope, I didn’t even have a ladder out when I fell. Maybe I was rushing. Maybe I wasn’t really paying enough attention. It all happened so fast, I’m not even sure exactly what happened. One minute I was stepping backward; the next my foot landed wrong on the slight slope, my ankle and knee twisted. I threw my open hand saw away from me and landed hip down on my pocketed hori-hori knife and my holstered hand shears. Today I have some fairly specific bruises relating to those hits. I managed not to break anything or even hit the nearby sidewalk. I’m not sure how I missed it; I definitely tumbled beyond it. And, really, I feel pretty darn lucky that a few sore muscles, a couple of bruises, and some twisted joints are all I’ve got to worry about on the day after.
Pruning can be dangerous. The tools themselves can be a hazard — saws, sharp shears, loppers, even chain saws are often involved. Ladders may seem like passive tools, but I’ve heard any number of stories about careful professionals making a mistake and paying for it with a ladder fall. And, then there’s the reality that we can get hurt for no good reason. A simple misstep can just happen. A loose rock can twist our ankles. A weak branch can give way before we think it should. Life happens in the garden. And, yesterday’s fall was a reminder to slow down, pay more attention, and just take care while working on anything in the garden.
Tags: fern, sword fern
So sorry to hear you tumbled…I am glad only bruises and nothing broken. UGH.
What a lovely last few days we have had. What are your predictions, any further hard frosts? Are we in the clear? Take care now and watch your steps
What an unfortunate way to be able to teach us all a good lesson in being careful doing these type of tasks. I know that I am cavalier at times from just the plain old experience of doing it over and over and that’s really when you need to be even more aware of what you’re doing!
Glad that you are only battered and bruised and still around to tell about it. Thanks for the great post!
Pruning can indeed be dangerous! A couple of years ago I “pruned” off the tip of a finger because I got careless and started cutting too fast. Sounds like you were very lucky not to be seriously injured in your fall. I wish you a speedy recovery.
Christine in Alaska