I have a number of Norway Spruces and other conifers which are now in the 10 to 15 ft height range. My property is adjacent to woodlands and there are many mature deciduous trees trees forming a high canopy with trees shedding leaves - and those leaves inevitably get trapped in the nooks and crannies of the evergreens.
Some of those leaves will get blown out by winter winds perhaps but many wont - and that means there is a barrier to light and a future loss of needles in parts of the trees. In addition when there is heavy snow these trapped leaves can cause snow build up and increase the risk of branch breaks.
Evergreen nurseries dont have to deal with this problem but what should a home-owner do?
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Deciduous leaves trapped in evergreen branches...
Buy you a small leaf rake. I have seen them, about 12" wide, at big box stores. Add an extension on the pole if you not able to reach desired height and drag them out of the nooks and crannies or from the tops of branches.. That way you can stay on the ground. If not get your 6' ladder out for some added height.
Nothing to it.
Dave
RE: Deciduous leaves trapped in evergreen branches...
It seems to me mother nature allowed for these this in her grand scheme of things,I look at leaves as an asset and do no raking just a wee bit come spring but she usually has things cleaned up for me then.
RE: Deciduous leaves trapped in evergreen branches...
I don't bother cleaning the leaves out of my upright conifers -- the wind takes care of that pretty well. But I have a more serious problem with leaves piling up on ground-hugging junipers: the wind will NOT remove leaves from those, and it looks awful. Fortunately, an ordinary leaf rake does a good job of removing the leaves without damaging the juniper fronds too much (....with a little care, of course). Clean junipers look great this time of year -- with the foliage turning from blue to a tinge of purple (J.h. 'Blue Chip' in particular...). Then on top of that, they get morning frost on them.... I should take more photos !!
RE: Deciduous leaves trapped in evergreen branches...
Yes but sometimes we go against mother nature and plant things where they should not be thus subjecting them to stress just to fulfill the look we see as pleasing.
It happens all the time and I am guilty of it. I keep the leaves cleaned up where they pose a problem to my plants and let them lie on the ground for protection to my woody and perennial plants till Spring.
A leaf blower as Ken suggested works well and cuts clean up time in half. Used with some digression they easily clean the trash out of your tree limbs with an up ward shot of air. Picking them out is a bummer especially on Picea pungens with all those sharp needles.
