| Natural Target Pruning is not going and grabbing | | | | * Injured and broken wood ( storm damage or |
| the shears and hacking at your landscape tree or | | | | mechanically damaged) |
| shrub. Natural Target Pruning is pruning with | | | | * To keep plant size manageable |
| purpose and precision, for the better of the plants | | | | * To train or to shape a landscape tree or shrub |
| habit and health. | | | | as desired |
| The first and foremost important thing when | | | | * Remove dead flowers or seed heads |
| pruning a tree or shrub is SAFETY, you must | | | | * Thin out dense growth areas (increase air |
| always wear eye protection. Also a hard hat | | | | movement, increases sunlight, reduces wind |
| recommended if pruning over-head. Also ear | | | | resistance) |
| protection if using powered equipment. | | | | * Develop specialized shapes or forms |
| The second most important thing is your tools, | | | | * To increase flowering |
| what tools do you need to complete this pruning | | | | * To increase fruit production |
| process, whether it is pruning shears, loppers, | | | | * To maintain bark and twig color |
| hand pruners, chainsaws, handsaw, pole saws, or | | | | * To compensate for root loss |
| pole pruners make sure that they are sharp, for | | | | *Note some regeneration or restorative pruning |
| your safety and the plants. A clean cut will heal | | | | can take two or three years to complete, but |
| much faster than that of a butchered up cut. | | | | you have a much healthier and better looking |
| There are two types of Pruning Cuts Heading and | | | | landscape tree or shrub. |
| Thinning. | | | | How to prune |
| * Heading is the cutting back of a branch to a | | | | When pruning large branches next to the truck, it |
| lateral bud or a lateral branch. | | | | is best to use the three cut method. This is a |
| * Thinning is the removal of a branch back to it | | | | series of cuts that helps keep for creating large |
| original point of origin. | | | | damage areas. The first of the cuts should be |
| Reasons to Prune Landscape Trees and Shrubs | | | | about 2-3 inches out from where the branch and |
| * Dead or diseased branches or limbs | | | | the truck meet. This cut should be from the |
| * Insect Damage Wood | | | | lower side of the branch and should be less than |
| * Crossing branches or limbs (if two branches are | | | | half of the thickness of the branch. The second |
| crossing each other one must go) | | | | cut should be a inch out passed the first cut, this |
| * Rubbing Branches (these were crossing | | | | will be from the top, and naturally it should break |
| branches that were not taken care of, may have | | | | about halfway through the branch back at the |
| to remove both) | | | | first cut. Then the final cut will be next to the |
| * Suckers, Adventitious Shoots, Adventitious | | | | branch collar. |
| Roots or Reversions | | | | |