Does clearing dead branches help plant growth?

Seems like a basic question, but we live in the southwest .... new mexico. Our backyard has a lot of natural vegetation, chamisal, sage, wild flowers, etc. Our land is a birdlover's paradise! We're torn, removing old / dry %26amp; dead sage branches will result in some loss of the bird's environs and yet we'd like to propagate the healthy sage and other vegetation...What suggestions do you have.

Does clearing dead branches help plant growth?
Long answer here, but read thru as I'll get to the chamisa at the end.





No, dead tissure removal doesn't stimulate growth. In woody plants the plants protect themselves by building and maintaing chemical barrier walls. So a dead limb will have barrier walls back where dead and living meet. These barriers remain for the plant's life. As long as the barrier is maintained the plant will continue functioning, but if the barrier is breached, it must form new barrier (if possible) thus stealing more energy from the plant.





The exception here is if in removing the dead material you actually cut into living buds. If these buds provided some chemical repressant to other buds, removing the bud may stimulate others previously dormant.





Same thing somewhat if you cut into live wood (or sometimes soft tissue as with herbaceous plants) you can stimulate adventitous buds to grow.





Confused? Sorry. Basically, if you cut dead tissue it will not stimulate new growth. If in cutting out the dead you cut living tissue, yes it may cause adventitious buds to form or you may stimulate dormant buds.





OK, now let's get to NM plants. I like to do this clean up in the spring. Reason? Our winter winds. By maintaining "brush" about you keep the soil protected or at least break the ground level winds. Let's not forget winter cover for birds.





Sage and ??? chamisa or four wing salt bush? I'll give answer for both. Sage and chamisa (rabbitbrush) do quite well when cut back in the early spring. Problem is if they are "older" and have developed bark......cutting into this older stuff often doesn't result in new growth from internal buds....the buds have often dried up. So cut back but still stay in the younger wood. So it behooves one to cut back every year or so if you want bright young growth. (yeah right who has time or remembers) So do your best, start managing the younger plants and do what you can to the older.....it will look weird for a few weeks.





As for 4 wing salt bush, I've never cut it back so can't speak from experience. However, since the seeds are browsed, I'm assuming the plants can be cut back without damage.





As for wildflowers, I always let the seed disperse first, then remove just old dried flower parts.......except with mallow. That stuff I whack with delight in late winter otherwise it gets totally out of hand (for my taste). You may want larger plants. Then play around with them until you find your preference.





If rabbits are a problem, try not to feed them by cutting wildflowers back so hard only the new stuff is visible come spring. Make them work for their meal, if you can keep some dry dead stuff, do so. Yes, you are balancing possible overwintering insects with providing wind protection and not serving your plants on a silver platter to the rabbits.





Long answer, sorry.
Reply:Dead branches and leaves take away from the live ones, so YES clear away the dead ones. The vegetation will not only look better, but will be healthier.
Reply:Hello. I am a Certified Master Gardener. Horticulture was my major in college. I have been employed at a plant nursery, and I work with plants as a volunteer at my University Botanic Gardens.





Save as much of the natural habitat for your birds as you can. They pick up small sticks, dry grasses, dry weeds, straw, threads, dryer lint, etc., to build and line their nests with.





You could designate an area that is not highly visible to place materials for them. Just a little area strewn lightly with what the birds need.





You can clear enough away to YOUR satisfaction, and leave some of what your feathered friends need to build their nests, especially now that Winter is just around the corner.





Don't forget to have birdhouses, birdbaths and hummingbird feeders available.





Thank you for caring about the birds, as do I.





I sincerely hope this helps you.





PAMELA J.
Reply:We are in SoCal and find the plants do much better, fill out fuller and seem to flower more with pruning. I also imagine you have the same wildfire concerns that we do and maintaining pruned vegetation lessens the fuel sources for wildfires, too.
Reply:Cut all the dead down to soil level this will help new growth come up especially next year.
Reply:Well, removing the 'dead wood' from the plant might seem like you are reducing the area for the birds, but in all reality you are increasing it in the long run. Just make sure that when you trim the bushes you do it after the breeding season for the birds is done. This will help the plant by giving the lower sections more light and will allow more moisture to get in, possibly encouraging more growth and creating more habitat for the birds. If you are unsure where the dead wood is, you can take a fingernail (if yours are strong enough) or a paring knife and scrape the outer wood on the branch to see if it is still green under the outer bark. Remove the ones that are dead.
Reply:Yes, clearing does help and most plants will become bushier and healthy.