Shoreline vegetation filters polluted and contaminated runoff before it flows into the lake, preventing an altering of the water chemistry and excessive algae blooms.

The shade cast by plants provides fish and other wildlife, as well as people, with relief from the summer sun. Shade also reduces water evaporation from the soil. This is helpful for plants that require moist or wet conditions for survival.

Over 70% of land-based wildlife and 90% of aquatic life depend on shorelines during some point in their lives. Reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, insects and mammals use the shoreline for mating, rearing young, food, shelter and protection from predators. It’s why shorelines are known as the “ribbon of life.”

Buffers can reduce flooding by slowing the velocity of surface runoff so it absorbs into the ground and becomes groundwater. This reduces the amount of direct drainage into the lake, limiting flood potential and helping the lake regulate its water levels more easily.

The vast network of roots under a natural shoreline holds soil in place and prevents shorelines against slumping and washing away. The leaves above ground reduce the impact of rain and surface water on the soil surface, and also the severity of wave action from water currents and boat wakes.

Natural shorelines protect property values from decreasing due to loss of land, wind or water damage, and poor water quality. At the same time, as waterfront views improve, so too does the price of the property.

Your new natural shoreline should be watered for:

• The first three years
• During the spring months: April, May and June
• During drought-like periods during the summer months

How much water do plants require?

• Trees and large shrubs require 20-30 litres (4-6 gallons) of water weekly
• Smaller shrubs require 10-20 litres (2-4 gallons) of water weekly
• Ground cover will only require watering when the soils are dry

Water trees and shrubs early or late in the day at the base of their trunk or main stems. This will ensure water reaches the roots before evaporating from the surface, and will limit surface runoff. During times of considerable rain, weekly watering may not be necessary.

Summer watering is only required during periods of drought when all trees and shrubs should receive between 30 and 40 litres (6-8 gallons) of water weekly.

Observable signs of drought can include: small, yellow or brown leaves, drooping leaves, loss of crown leaves, and blistering or cracking bark.

Mulch can be made out of wood chips, leaf mould, hemp, compost or a mix of any of these materials. When purchasing mulch, be sure that it is partially composted. It plays an important role to the successful establishment of new shrubs and trees by:

• suppressing unwanted weeds that could compete with new shrubs and trees
• reducing water evaporation from the first few inches of soil
• providing valuable nutrients to the new plants
• insulating and protecting roots from extreme effects of heat and cold

Spring is the best time to re-mulch trees and shrubs, if required. Old mulch should be removed before new mulch is placed, or can be mixed together instead of layered.

Mulch should cover the spread of the roots underground. When adding mulch, it should extend as far out as the bottom branches of the shrub or tree, with a depth of 5-10 centimetres (2-4 inches). The mulch should form a conical shape, being thicker at the perimeter to funnel water inward to the base of the trunk or main stems. And to avoid rotting, the mulch should not touch the trunk or main stems.

Pruning is a technique used to help support the growth of trees and shrubs. Most native shoreline vegetation will require little to no pruning at all. However, some pruning will maintain sightlines, provide better access to the water and keep the plants healthy.

• Branches that are dead, diseased or damaged should be pruned to protect the plant from further health risks.
• If necessary, branches can also be pruned to thin a shrub if it has obstructed pathways or sightlines to the water.
• It can be helpful to keep tabs on a shrub or tree over the course of a year to get a better idea of which branches should be removed without compromising the natural shape of the plant.
• Some shrubs and trees produce suckering branches that emerge from underground roots near the trunk or base of the main stem of the plant. While suckers can aid in stabilizing and naturalizing a shoreline, they can also limit the nutrients reaching the canopy layer of the main shrub or tree. For this reason, they should be pruned to ensure the main plant does not die off.
• When pruning trees, make sure you don’t remove the crown bud (the highest budding branch on the tree) as this forces the tree to grow wide instead of tall.

When should you prune?

Late fall and early winter is the best time to prune, as this will minimize sap loss and the threat of fungal or insect infestations. Wait for leaf loss to begin so you have easier access to the branches. Dead branches can be pruned any time.

However, some shrubs, usually those that flower, should be pruned in the early spring before the buds emerge, or after the flowers have died. Removing the dead flowers can help the shrub leaf out nicely by encouraging nutrients to access the leaves.

How much needs to be pruned?

Pruning should never remove more than 25% of the crown of the shrub or tree. This will reduce its vulnerability to fungal or insect infestation. Branches should compose at least two-thirds of the shrub or tree, to ensure that the vegetation has enough mature leaves to support growth and survival.

Once shrubs begin to show signs of aging, rejuvenating pruning can be done to encourage new growth to emerge. Gradual rejuvenation involves removing old growth by one-third every year until all old growth has been removed. Complete rejuvenation involves cutting the entire shrub back until just the stump remains, about 15-25 centimetres (6-10 inches) above the ground.

How to Prune

Before you start, look over the entire shrub or tree to determine the right branches to trim.

When you cut, do so at the branch collar (where it is attached to its parent branch or to the tree’s trunk) to reduce the risk of unwanted damage and infestation, and allow for faster healing.

And be sure to clean tools after every tree or shrub before starting on another one, as infection and disease can spread from plant to plant via pruning tools. Possible disinfecting solutions can include one part bleach, dish soap or pine oil cleaner in three parts water.

To successfully prune shrubs and trees without tearing bark or splitting wood, and to

limit infection or infestation, follow these steps:

1. Make a wedge shape cut, roughly one-quarter of the branch diameter, on the underside of the branch, and approximately 12 cm (5 inches) from the branch collar. This wedge-cut is not intended to remove the branch.
2. Approximately 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) away from the branch collar, farther than the wedge-cut, cut the branch completely, starting at the topside of the branch. This will leave a branch stub with the initial wedge cut.
3. Cut off the stub by cutting parallel to the branch collar. Do not cut the collar. Cutting the collar can damage the tree or shrub by increasing healing time and susceptibility to infection.

For diagrams and more pruning tips, download the free Native Plant Care Guide courtesy of The Natural Edge.