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Pruning is an old, important and much misunderstood garden skill. Many amatuer gardeners make the mistake of supposing that all trees and shrubs need pruning regularly, shortening branches indiscriminately and many others ignore the need to prune at all. Pruning is needed to keep trees and shrubs healthy and in shape. It is important to prune properly and deal with diseased or damaged limbs soon as possible. This can be done anytime of the year without fear of making a mistake. Remove the damaged or diseased limb to the nearest side shoot or main stem. If the core of the branch looks decayed then remove it from the main stem to prevent it from causing decay into the center of the tree. Next look for branches that are rubbing together. Remove the weaker of the two or both if are diseased.

The remainder of pruning should be done during the early spring. This includes removing suckers on and at the base of the tree , tinning out over crowded sections, and shortening long sagging branches. At this time you can also shape the tree to suit your needs. If you desire a tall tree do not cut off the leader on the main stem. Doing so will cause your tree to spread more. Remove low spreading limbs that reduce sunlight on your lawn, your grass will developed poorly. Branches that hang over the fence onto your neighbors yard should also be removed. Neighbors have the right to remove the proportion that extends beyond the fence onto their property so rather than have someone else hack up your beautiful tree do proper pruning yourself.  Brich and maple should not be pruned in the spring do to excessive bleeding of sap which can possibly destroy you tree. Prune them in late summer, however diseased or damaged limbs should be deal with immediately.

For shrubs its best to wait until buds start to form in spring then its more obivous which stems are live or dead from winter kill. Suckers that are not required remove also at ground level. Do a more extensive pruning after blooming has ended. Be aware that next years bloosems will develope on this years growth.

For tools that are required get a good qualty hand pruners, that will deal with the small limbs to 1/2inch. Larger branchs to 1 inch use the heaver lopers or a pruning saw. A pole pruner enables a person ot cut off small high branches while standing on the ground. A pole saw is also handy to have, like the pruning hand saw its teeth are designed to cut on the downward stroke. Add to your equipment a good sharp knife and a ladder and 50ft or so of 1/2inch rope. I recommend sterlizing your tools with a 50/50 solution of bleach and water after completing every tree.

When making cuts with shears do so with one clean motion. If the shears are sharp no ragged edge will remain. Make the cut at a angle parellel to a side branching shoot and about 1/8 inch from the branch. That branch will then take over as the leader. No stubs should be left remaining after pruning, stubs will die back sometimes destroying awhole branch. Loppers are basically used in the same manner, again cutting close (1/8inch)from a side shoot. If you are removing limbs from a main stem, anything over 1/2 inch use a pruning saw. Again make your cut about 1/8inch from the main stem. If a jagged edge remains pare away with a sharp kinfe to a clean even surface. Large branches can be removed in sections. Support the end with a rope tied to the end then loop the rope over a higher branch on the main stem, have a helper take up any slack on the rope. If the limb is say 12ft long remove it in sections that can be easly handled. On large branches make an under cut first, then a couple inches above the under cut make your over cut. As you make you over cut have the helper ease the branch down. The falling branch will break at the cut but will not tear off bark beyond the under cut. Repeat on the next sections except on the last leave a 3-4 inch stub on the main stem, then the final under and over cuts are made close 1/8 inchfrom the main stem. Pare away any jagged edges. I recommend treating all cuts over 1 inch with tree paint for several years until the wound heals completely and is covered with new bark.

For evergreens diseased or damaged limbs treat as indicated above, any other pruning needs more information of the type of tree or shrubs.

Happy gardening

H. Kriaski

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