| Much of the pruning that you are going to do is | | | | will pass more freely through the remaining plant, |
| going to be based on the location of the various | | | | lessening threats of disease and promoting better |
| buds that have the ability to grow after the cuts | | | | blooming. When thinning it is important, when |
| are made, and/or the active cellular area where | | | | cutting to a branch junction, that the caliper of |
| cell division will seal the wound. The only times | | | | the remaining branch be sufficient so that it |
| that the location for pruning is unimportant is | | | | assumes the role of the terminal tip and continues |
| when you are simply shearing a hedge or bush, | | | | growing. |
| and perhaps when cosmetically thinning or | | | | Many times the location of pruning cut as it |
| grooming an already developed topiary or bonsai. | | | | relates to the remaining branch and buds is |
| As I explained in Lesson #2, "The Function of | | | | important. Most cuts should be at about a 45 |
| Pruning," actively growing terminal buds produce | | | | degree angle and 1/4 inch from the bud you want |
| hormones that travel down the stem and retard | | | | to encourage to grow, or 1/2 inch from the |
| the growth of lateral stem buds until the time | | | | junction of the main branch you are cutting back |
| that the terminal shoot has grown enough so that | | | | to, but always at an area of active growth. If you |
| its inhibiting influence further down the shoot has | | | | have made a clean non-ragged cut, the active |
| weakened. In the case of latent buds on the | | | | growth area will stimulate the cambium cells in the |
| stem, which are sometimes only barely visible, | | | | area of the cut to grow inwards and seal off the |
| encouraging their development usually requires the | | | | wound. Leaving a ragged area, or too much |
| removal of both terminal and lateral stem tips, | | | | stem-stub where no active growth is occurring, |
| and many time these dormant buds may not | | | | leaves the branch or plant open to disease and |
| develop at all. | | | | decay as the long stub shrivels and dies. By |
| Pinching out the terminal bud on the main shoot or | | | | keeping you tool blades sharp your cuts should be |
| a lateral shoot is the most basic type of pruning, | | | | clean. |
| and is used almost exclusively on the soft growth | | | | For larger branches meeting the main trunk of a |
| of annuals, perennials and houseplants. This is | | | | tree or meaty shrub, stay back or above the |
| accomplished with the most basic of tools, your | | | | branch ridge and avoid cutting into the branch |
| thumb and the first or second digits of your hand. | | | | collar. The ridge is the upper slightly swollen bark |
| Because I am pinching plants all the time, I allow | | | | area where the branch meets the trunk and the |
| the nails on my pinching fingers to grow just a | | | | collar is that lower swollen area where the branch |
| tad longer than the other nails on my right hand. | | | | you are removing meets the main trunk. Do not |
| If you are concerned about the appearance or | | | | cut the branch flush to the trunk. Leaving the |
| strength of your nails, you can still use a pair of | | | | collar and ridge allows the plant to best seal itself, |
| small pruners or a pair of scissors instead of your | | | | and will keep disease and decay from entering the |
| nails to pinch the young tips. Pinching the tips will | | | | main trunk |
| stop the shoot from growing longer and will | | | | For large branches that are still within your |
| promote branching and fuller, bushier growth. | | | | capability, but too large to support one handed, it |
| Heading a plant, by cutting off most leading tips, is | | | | is best to make the cut in three saw passes to |
| very similar to shearing and pinching, inducing the | | | | avoid ripping or stripping the bark. The first cut |
| lateral buds below the cuts to develop multiple | | | | should be a one-third through cut from the |
| new stems. It has its place when trying to restart | | | | bottom, 8 to 12 inches away from the main trunk |
| neglected half-dead shrubs, to increase flowering | | | | or structure limb. The second cut should be a top |
| wood on roses, to establish a branching cluster in | | | | cut 1/2 inch farther out on the branch. When you |
| an area on fruit trees or to fill a void area in a | | | | reach the right point, the main part of the limb |
| tree or shrubs development. You have to be | | | | should fall. (Careful) The finish cut will be made |
| careful not to get lazy by continually heading | | | | just outside the branch ridge, at an angle so that |
| plants instead of thinning them, or you will destroy | | | | you do NOT cut the branch bottom collar. |
| the natural desired shape of many landscape | | | | Because you have removed most of the weight |
| plants, or the branch strength of many fruit trees. | | | | with your first two cuts you will be able to hold |
| Thinning a plant is the preferred pruning method | | | | the final part you are removing as you complete |
| most of the time. It accomplishes most of the | | | | the cut and have a clean removal. |
| good things that we want in yard and orchard | | | | Pruning allows us to regulate size, direct growth, |
| maintenance. It allows us to regulate size, direct | | | | and eliminate old or tangled branches that are |
| growth, and eliminate old or tangled branches that | | | | interfering with the plants structure. You need to |
| are interfering with the plants structure. Pruning to | | | | be careful and keep your tool blades sharp and be |
| thin a tree or shrub means we are taking the cut | | | | attentive to your cuts. Cavalier or lazy pruning |
| branch back to the parent, or junction with the | | | | practices with poorly maintained equipment can |
| parent branch from which it originated, or many | | | | damage the natural shape of many landscape |
| times all the way to ground level. Because thinning | | | | plants and orchard trees, potentially leaving them |
| or hard pruning is also removing many lateral and | | | | open to disease and insect problems. With proper |
| latent buds, there is less chance of forcing | | | | pruning care, your trees and shrubs will be |
| clusters of new shoots. Thus the overall bulk of | | | | healthy, safe, and more attractive, with better |
| the pruned plant will be reduced and the structure | | | | flowers and/or fruit. |
| of the plant will be reestablished and light and air | | | | |