Daily gardening tip · Southern hemisphere · Thursday 24 September 2026 · early spring
Prune Your Deciduous Fruit Trees Now
Pruning your deciduous fruit trees before they fully leaf out helps the trees focus their spring energy on healthy new growth.
30 minutesmoderatepruning
Examine your fruit trees to find any branches that are dead, diseased, or crossing and rubbing against each other.
Wipe your pruning shears with rubbing alcohol to prevent the spread of plant diseases.
Cut away the dead and diseased branches first, making your cuts just above an outward-facing bud.
Prune out one of any two crossing branches to open up the center of the tree canopy.
Clean your shears once more before putting them away.
Why it works
Pruning before the tree leaves out fully makes it easy to see the branch structure. Removing damaged or rubbing wood prevents disease from entering wounds and redirects the tree's spring sap to the healthiest, most productive branches.
A species of dandelion characterized by its deeply and closely lobed leaves. It is a typical perennial herb with a strong taproot and bright yellow composite flower heads.
Plants may struggle to adapt to warming temperatures
New research shows that morning glory plants are adapting much slower than expected as temperatures rise. Instead of evolving traits to handle higher heat, the plants are prioritizing traits that attract scarce pollinators. This trade-off drastically lowers their overall ability to adjust to climate change.
Pioneering grass botanist Mary Agnes Chase died in 1963
American botanist Mary Agnes Chase passed away on 24 September 1963 at the age of 94. She specialized in agrostology, which is the scientific study of grasses, and wrote accessible books for beginners. She also actively supported women's rights and self-funded her own field expeditions when official grants were denied.
