Spirea Pruning

Today, after working six hours at the farm, I got home and decided today was the day I was going to prune the spirea outside my duplex. My inner gardener cringed in horror every time I walked out my door and saw the sad sad state these poor spirea shrubs were in. I live in a rental duplex and am in no way responsible for grounds maintenance, but I honestly don't think these shrubs have been prune in years. Spirea are pretty tough plants, so they were still growing and flowering some under all that dead material, but I knew they would be much much happier if I could give them a little breathing room. I knew it wasn't the most optimal time of year to be pruning, but spirea can take a pretty rough pruning once and a while, so I knew I probably would be doing more good than harm.

Look at these poor things. Hidden under dead branches and weeds.

                                  

One determined gardener with pruners comes to the rescue!

Honestly, I didn't think it was going to take two hours. But after working a full day on a farm, I still was determined to get the job done. It's still a little weedy because the tiny patch of "lawn" behind it is mainly weeds and there's really not much I can do for that. I had a pile of dead sticks and weeds that was about 3ft tall by the time I finished. It was worth it to see how much happier the plants looked. One of the neighbor ladies who walks by with her dog approved also.