WHY SHOULD I PRUNE?

Proper pruning creates more beautiful, healthy trees and can increase the life span and productivity of fruit and shade trees. Unpruned or poorly pruned trees can often be safety hazards that endanger people and property.

Pruning is both art and science. Topiary, the art of pruning plants to achieve unusual shapes, and bonsai are both good examples of "plant art" requiring special pruning techniques. However, even these unusual plant forms use the same basic, scientific principles of pruning. With this knowledge, you can develop a more artistic pruning style based upon your personal preferences and experience.

WHAT DO I LOOK FOR?

If a branch meets any of these criteria, consider pruning it.

WHEN DO I PRUNE?

Anytime from January to early March is suitable for pruning. During the dormant season most of the tree's nutrients are stored safely in the root system, so few energy resources will be lost by removing a limb. Dormant‑season pruning also reduces wound sap flow and lessens the chance of pest attack.

Summer pruning is recommended for spring flowering trees. Summer pruning is appropriate for other trees, but limit summer pruning to deadwood and new wood that hasn't exceeded the thickness of your thumb. /summer pruning .pdf

DO I NEED A PROFESSIONAL

Homeowners can safely handle most pruning on a young tree, but pruning high, heavy limbs of mature trees using sharp cutting tools can become very dangerous. If powerlines, dangerous heights, or valuable property are involved, call a professional.

If it is possible that tree limbs, people, or equipment may contact power lines, always have the power company do the pruning‑but be sure they follow proper pruning techniques.

If you hire professional arborists, be sure they are licensed, bonded, and insured. Some arborists may also be certified by a professional association. Don't be afraid to ask questions and get addresses of recent local jobs.

WHAT TOOLS DO I NEED?

You may need several tools to prune branches of different sizes.

WHERE DO I CUT?

The key to good pruning is the cut. As a rule, always cut back to a branch, twig, or bud that is pointed in the direction you want the tree to grow. This method facilitates controlled, healthy, new growth. If you're not sure whether to remove a branch, don't cut! You can always cut it later, but you can never put it back.

At the position where each branch originates from the trunk is a collar, or bark ridge. This collar contains both branch tissue and trunk tissue. If you cut trunk tissue, insects and disease can enter and damage the trunk of the tree. Make your cut just outside the collar on the branch side, without leaving a stub. Branch stubs also provide entry points for insects and disease and often produce unwanted shoots.

Cutting Small Branches

Most pruning shears have only one cutting blade. Orient your shears so the blunt jaw presses on the portion of the limb that will be discarded. Improper orientation may damage the tissue of the bark collar and slow the wound‑closing process.

Cutting Large Limbs

Removing large limbs requires three cuts to avoid stripping bark from the trunk. Make the first cut (1) into the underside of the limb about 6" beyond the bark collar, cutting 1/4‑1/3 of the way through the branch. Make the second cut (2) into the top of the branch several inches beyond the first, cutting until the branch breaks away. Finally, with the weight of the branch removed, a third cut (3) removes the stub.

Removing V‑Shaped Crotches

"V'‑shaped crotches threaten tree health and pose a public safety hazard, as bark often becomes trapped between limbs, resulting in weak attachment. To eliminate narrow crotches before they become serious problems, remove the least desirable limb. If no bark collar is obvious, start at (1) and cut upward at a 30º  angle, completing the cut at the branch's point of origin (2).

Never Top a Tree

Topping is the indiscriminate shortening of limbs, which causes a cluster of unruly, weak limbs to emerge near the cut. These limbs are subject to damage from wind, crop loads, insects, and diseases. Topped trees have shortened life spans, pose safety hazards to people and property, and require continuing intensive maintenance.

Remember, always cut where the tree's growth may be redirected into a branch, twig, or bud that is pointed in the desired direction.

SHOULD I PUT SOMETHING ON THE WOUND?

No. Trees have their own mechanisms for closing an injury. During its life span, a tree will suffer many millions of injuries, some as tiny as an insect bite and others as large as a split trunk. The tree protects wounds from invasion by "walling‑off 'the injury. According to research done by the U.S. Forest Service, pruning sealants can actually harm trees by slowing wound closure. For rapid healing, use proper pruning techniques and periodically clean your pruning blades with alcohol to avoid spreading disease.

HOW DO I TRAIN A YOUNG TREE?

A young tree can be trained to grow into a well structured mature tree. Pruning young trees helps establish their structure and can prevent future problems. It is always easier and more efficient to use pruning as a training technique throughout a tree's development than to do corrective pruning on mature trees. Here's what to do:

HOW DO I CREATE A VASE‑TYPE TREE?

When purchased most young fruit trees will either have a whip‑like structure (a central leader with no side branches) or have a central leader structure . To achieve a vase or delayed vase structure within a tree's third year, at planting, head the tree (cut off the terminal buds) 3‑1/2 to 4 ft above ground to encourage side branch development.

After the first winter, select several side branches that will develop into major scaffold branches. The lowest scaffold branches should be about 2 ft above ground. Try to achieve a dial spacing around the trunk. In some fruit trees, the branch originating from the topmost bud will be weak, so remove it in favor of a more vigorous branch below Central Leader.

Following the second winter, select additional scaffold branches if desirable shoots have developed. If scaffold branches are making rapid growth or are exceptionally upright, head them back to strong, outward‑facing branches, which will improve light penetration to the tree's center.

 DO THESE PRINCIPLES APPLY TO ALL TREES?
    No, but they apply to most shade and fruit trees

For additional resources on pruning Click here: Pruning - Resource Library Public Pages