Pruning for Healthy Plants
updated: Sep 19, 2012, 11:46 AM

Source: Santa Barbara County Fire Department

September is a good time to ensure that your landscape is still fire safe. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department recommends clearing your roof of fallen debris to prevent ignition from flying embers in the event of a wildfire. Maintaining your property is a year-round task.

Pruning for healthy plants is a good way to help maintain defensible space around your property. Most plants will benefit from occasional corrective pruning, and all will benefit from the removal of dead material. Time the pruning of individual plants over several years to allow them to recover. Try pruning about 1/3 of your plants in a given year, so that all are pruned at the end of three years. Regularly remove dead material and branches from yours trees and shrubs.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department reminds homeowners that healthy, maintained plants around your home, helps create a defensible space that firefighters can safely work from in the event of a wildfire.

For more information on precautions to help you protect your property from a wildfire, please review the Ready! Set! Go! program by visiting our web site at www.sbcfire.com .

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