Seasonal garden care: Safety equipment, pinching, and pruning tips

When using power equipment such as a weed whip in the garden, wear protective glasses and earplugs. The plastic line can kick up debris that could injure your eyes or sting your legs if you are wearing shorts. The line can also damage the bark of trees and strip paint off fence posts. Some equipment can be loud, making ear protection especially important if you are using it for an extended period. I use earmuffs when mowing the lawn. I purchased a battery-powered blower a couple of years ago and found it to work very well. It is also much quieter than my old gas-powered blower.

Pinch fall-blooming plants such as chrysanthemums and hardy asters now to control their size and increase production of flowers. Pinching will encourage side branching, producing bushier, stockier plants. Make the first pinch when the plants reach 6 to 8 inches in height by removing approximately 1 inch from the tip of each shoot. When the resulting lateral branches reach 6 inches, pinch them as well. These plants should not be pinched later than July 4 in the Chicago region as flower buds are formed at this time and late pinching can delay or prevent flowering.

Espaliers are used for softening large blank spaces on walls or fences. To train espaliers, twigs and branches are bent to meet design requirements when the branches are young and supple. Carefully tie the branches in place with raffia or plastic tape. I have also used a commercially available rubber-coated wire to train espalier branches that are more substantial and need stronger support. The ties should be secured loosely so the flow of water and nutrients through the stem is not constricted. Adjust the ties during the remainder of the growing season and coming years as necessary. It’s good practice to check the ties once a year.

The frost-damaged plants in my home garden have recovered well. Some of my hostas have a few leaves with dead zones that I may or may not take the time to clean up. In general, you should see your frost-damaged plants recovering at this point. If not, you should start considering replacements after a couple more weeks of observation. Prune out any dead branches on trees and shrubs that have leafed out. Once that is done, you can assess whether your tree is worth saving.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.