It’s hard to believe that March is just a few days away and that 2022 is already two months old. As we move into this new month, we will be seeing more warm days and more spring flowers announcing their victory over winter’s long siege.
Gardeners realize that their busiest months lie just ahead and many have already ordered or purchased seeds and planned their plats. Many are also finishing the important task of winter pruning.
Winter pruning is the chore of removing excess branches from blueberries, grapes, raspberries, blackberries and other trees, bushes, and vines to prepare for the burst of spring growth. Although dead branches can be removed from most plants any time of the year, it is important to cut off living vegetation before the sap is up and flowing. For some crops this time has already passed as the buds are full and just waiting for a few warm days when they can explode into the sunlight.
Removing live branches from a tree or bush may sound counterproductive and harmful, but it’s actually very beneficial to the plant if done correctly. Many plants produce more vegetation than is needed and this can actually reduce the size and quality of the fruit and prevent air circulation needed to prevent fungi and diseases.
Several years ago, Mr. Jesse “JC” Wine demonstrated for me how to prune grapevines as he trimmed back those of my parents. He removed many long healthy shoots and I questioned if he wasn’t actually damaging the plants. He assured me that he wasn’t and by the time the next September rolled around, his wisdom and experience proved true as many clusters of large Concords and Niagaras hung heavily awaiting our enjoyment.
Even though most pruning is done in the winter months, it still has to be painful for the vines. When the sap does begin to flow during the first warm days of spring, grapevines often “weep” until the pruning scars harden over. Nevertheless, the skill and wisdom of the gardener has the long term health and productivity of the plant in mind.
Jesus mentioned the importance of pruning the night before He went to the cross. He told His followers in John 15, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
Like grapes and other crops, our lives too have a tendency to become overgrown with many activities that hinder our ultimate productivity. Certainly those spiritually dead or diseased areas of our lives must be lopped off as soon as detected, but even healthy pursuits often need to be trimmed back to maintain maximum fruit production for Jesus.
Since we are His branches, we need to yield ourselves to the Master Gardener who knows just what needs to go and what needs to stay. We should invite Him to reveal what areas of our lives should be totally removed and which need to be snipped back. This process may be painful and it may cause us to weep as well, but remembering that our Vinedresser has our ultimate best in mind can be quite comforting amidst the temporary pain.
Let’s take advantage of these last few weeks of winter to do whatever last minute pruning needs to be done to prepare our yards and gardens for spring. And while we’re doing that, let’s invite God to prune our lives as well.
Blessings, George