Pruning Instructions
Table i. Spring-blooming scrubs Spring-flowering plants can be pruned immediately after flowering to avoid reducing floral display and to promote new growth. On plants where the fruit is as important as the flowers, prolong long pruning until after fruiting. Pinch out tips to produce a more compact plant. Don't prune if the plant looks good. Flowering may be nondescript on some species, but prune to produce ornamental fruit. Flowers on old wood. Remove about one-third of the older stems at...
Mature trees
The pruning of large shade trees by the homeowner should be limited to the branches that can be reached from the ground. If large limbs need to be removed, enlist the professional services of a certified arborist with the proper skills, equipment and insurance. Observe caution when pruning around power or utility lines. Employ a trained arborist for pruning near hazardous areas. Figure 13. Diagram of radial spacing It is not necessary or desirable to cut back the canopy of a tree when...
Pruning Tools
Use the right tools to prune. Only a few tools are needed and it is beneficial to use good ones. Tools should be sharp and high quality. Smooth cuts heal faster and provide a less favorable site for disease. Don't wiggle pruning tools to cut into a branch that is too large for the tools. Too often incorrect tools are used to prune, which leaves jagged cuts and ruined pruning tools. Take care not to damage the bark around the pruning cut. 1. Hand clippers and shears are recommended for removing...
Young Trees
Young trees may need to be pruned to maintain a central leader. All cuts should be made at the nodes or back to the next limb. Do not remove more than one-third of the living branches. To develop a strong, straight trunk, start early in the life of a tree to remove branches at positions 1, 2 and 3 See Figure 10 . The trunk should be limbed up only one-third to one-half of the height. For instance, if a small tree is 6 feet tall, remove the limbs about 2-3 feet above the soil line. For a more...
Broadleaf and Narrowleaf Evergreens
Conifers, broadleaf and narrow-leaf evergreens may be pruned any time the wood is not frozen. A good time to prune evergreens is in early December so prunings can be used to make holiday decorations. These plants are primarily pruned to increase the density of the foliage or to reduce the size of the plant. Conifers have lateral branches that arise from the trunk in whorls or as random shoots. Preformed latent buds in the terminal determine the number of branches. Few conifers have latent buds...
