Pruning Tip Sheet

Pruning Tools
Pruning Sheers or Secateurs
Loppers
Pruning Saw
Hedge Trimmer

Reasons to prune

·   Health:

Pruning spent flowers from perennials promotes bushier growth the following year.

Cutting away diseased and dead branches can prevent the spread of problems.

Proper pruning improves structural integrity and stability of trees and woody shrubs. Also, loose growth and an open center improve airflow and reduce the risk of many diseases.

·   Appearance:

Formal landscapes require regular trimming.

Even informal landscapes benefit from using pruning to proportion plants. And pruning can aid the natural beauty of many plants.

·  Flower production:

Pruning flowering plants properly can promote growth of new shoots and buds. Such pruning requires attention to the blooming season of the plants. Pruning at the wrong time will adversely affect flowering.

·                Safety

Damaged and diseased tree branches endanger people and property, and overgrown roadside shrubs reduce visibility.

Types of Pruning

·   Heading, Trimming & Pinching

Heading back produces smaller more dense growth. Two common uses of this method are deadheading flowering plants and shaping trees and shrubs in formal landscapes.

·  Thinning
Thinning aids production of a larger more open growth habit. This method involves selectively cutting stems and branches.

Growth Habits & Pruning

Attending to a plant’s growth habit is important for deciding what kind of pruning to undertake.

· Cane form:

Forsythia, Roses, Red-twigged Dogwood

· Mound form

Spirea and Potentila

Cutting out overly long branches and stems is the best method of thinning mounded plants. This method provides improved appearance while sustaining a natural growth habit.

·Tree-form

Rhododenron, Lilac, and Sand cherry

·  Trees:

Young shade trees are often pruned to promote a dominant trunk and to ensure quicker growth. Flowering and ornamental trees are pruned to stunt height and to promote a more formal appearance.

Lopping of tree branches is a form of thinning. For large or high branches, hiring a tree specialist is recommended.

Steps to proper Thinning

Do not prune excessively

Do Prune at the right time

Pruning at the wrong time can put undo stress on the plant. For flowering plants, timing is extremely important. Ask a professional about the proper time to prune specific plants.

·Cut out dead growth as you become aware of it

· Cut away diseased and dying growth

When cutting away diseased growth, make the cut on the healthy growth and leave no diseased growth on the plant. Throw away the diseased growth; do not compost it or leave it on the ground. Do not assume that pruning suffices as a cure for disease. Seek professional advice, because timing can be important in combating diseases.

·  Remove suckers

· Cut out weak, inward growing and overcrowded growth

·Cut back overgrowth

·Lastly, shape the plant to suit your aesthetic taste

Pruning Technique

·Use sharp tools

Dull blades can leave splayed and bruised surfaces along the cut. Such cuts heal less well and leave the plant more open to disease than a clean cut.

· Cut at an angle

When cutting back along a stem, cut above an outward facing bud. When cutting back to a larger stem, make the cut close to the larger stem. Make sure not to damage the collar.