pruning advice

The PTSA for my school held an auction, and I offered 2 hours of light gardening and consultation as an item to be sold. The consultation was specified to be about deer resistant planting and raising and braiding garlic ( 2 areas of knowledge and experience for me). I just got an e-mail from the woman who bought my time at the auction, and she wants help with pruning, plant identification, watering,and fertilizing. I can help her with the latter two, and I may be able to identify many items in her yard, but I know nothing about pruning, just come look at my yard. If anyone can advise me about what plants can be pruned at this time of year and/or which should definitely not be pruned I can at least give her some information about this. I want her to be happy with my services, though I can't do everything she expected. I did get a nice pair of bypass pruners for X-mas, planning to learn something this year, but I don't intend to experiment on someone else's plants.

Since you specificed what the consultation included, don't feel shy about telling her that you can't cover anything you aren't comfortable with.

I'd give her a call and point out (in a nice way) that the consultation was clear about including deer planting and garlic and then tell her you'll be happy to include any topics she's interested in that you have knowledge about, but you probably won't know all the plants in her garden and that you can't offer any pruning advice.

Don't be surprised if what she really wants is for you to prune when you're there! I work on a fair number of auctions, as well as attend them and buy at them, and I see this kind of thing all the time.

Stand firm! If she makes a fuss, they can refund her money and contact the next person down the list who bid.

Gwendalou

Hi mauryhillfarm, I sorta agree with Gwendalou but I'd recommend you find a copy of "Pruning" by Christopher Brickell. It has great line-drawings, easy to follow, goes by genus. Turn her on to the book.

Here's a few tips to make it easier. DD&D (Dead, Diseased and damaged) are to be pruned out first before you start. Cut at 1/4" at 90 degrees to primary stem. Never trim more than 1/3 of the plant. For training, use that stretchy red tape they use for flagging to tie around the branches you are thinking about trimming to demonstrate. If you are trimming back a branch, cut 1/4" above the bud. It's a good idea to "crown-raise" a plant for easy maintenance by removing branches close to the ground right to the base of the plant.

Hope this helps.

Mike

These ideas are quite helpful. I placed a hold on the pruning book at the library. I sent her an e-mail with some suggestions of what I will be able to help her with and was clear about what I couln't do. I talked to someone I know at a garden center who will help me identify leaf samples from her garden if she wants that, and I put together some sample organic fertilizer mixes, one for plants that need acidic soil, and one that includes some lime. We'll see what happens. I hope she doesn't want me to install a watering system too. I am actually glad that she contacted me so soon after the auction. Last year I offered bags of veggies and berries from my garden and I went all summer wondering if I should save a nice head of broccoli or lettuce in case I got a call that week. If she still wants me to prune, I'll consult the book and let her know its at her own risk. Otherwise, its up to her to take it up with the PTSA.