Tips for Pruning

Lateral Buds on a Pear Tree Branch

Winter is a great time for pruning many species of plants. There are a number of reasons for pruning plants — producing more or better flowers, developing or maintaining a desired shape or appearance, reestablishing balance between roots and branches, training young plants, rejuvenating older or neglected plants, removing dead or diseased wood, and repairing or removing damaged wood.

The pruning tools available are varied and run from really cheap to very expensive. In my opinion you get what you pay for, so a good approach is to buy the best quality tools that you can afford. Some of the quality brands that are readily available include Corona, Fiskars, and Felco to name a few.

Maintenance of tools is very important for good pruning and the longevity of the tools. When sharpening your pruners, use a file, not a stone, and maintain the original beveled angle. Have a professional sharpen your saws.

It is important to clean your pruning tools after each use. Wipe the tools with an oily cloth – there are some products made for cleaning tools such as Corona’s CLP. Use linseed oil on wooden handles to help keep them in tip-top shape. Use a solvent to remove sap. If pruning is being done to remove diseased branches, soak the tools in a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach between each cut. Keep in mind that the bleach can be corrosive to the tools so make sure to lubricate the tool(s) afterward.

It is always a good idea to have a certified arborist come in to do big pruning jobs such as trees, or anything near power lines. Also, don’t forget safety gear such as leather gloves and goggles.

Before pruning a plant, it is important to know how it grows. Trees and shrubs grow each year from the ends of branches (terminal buds) and the side branches (lateral buds). The terminal buds determine the direction and rate of growth. Lateral buds form branches and twigs that fill in the framework of the major branches. Dormant buds are less obvious and only grow when injury occurs to the terminal or lateral buds. A key to good pruning is learning how to take advantage of the lateral and dormant buds to redirect or rejuvenate plants.

Normally, terminal buds grow faster than lateral buds because of a chemical they produce to retard the lateral growth. This is really strong in young trees and less so in shrubs. Cutting away the terminal bud allows the lateral buds to start growing more aggressively.

When making pruning cuts, the rule is to prune back to a branch or bud and don’t leave a stub (or hat rack), which will die back and cause decay or disease, not to mention being unsightly. Pruning cuts should be no more than a quarter-inch above a bud or side branch. Pruning cut angles should be at 45 degrees and tilted in the direction the bud is pointing. Plants all have buds facing inward and outward. It is best to cut to a bud that is facing outward, which results in the plant having an attractive outward growth rather than making a tangled mess by growing inward.

Plants that should be pruned in winter (late January, February and into March) include fruit trees, certain roses, broad-leafed evergreens, most trees, vines and some flowering plants.

There are generally three accepted systems for pruning fruit trees – central leader, open center and modified leader.

Apples and pears should be trained with a central leader, which forms strong side branches and one main trunk. Remove some branches growing from the trunk to maintain open space between limbs. Also, thin the secondary branches growing from these limbs in order to allow sunlight and air to reach the center of the tree. Eventually, you might want to switch apples to the modified leader method as it tends to be easier and is close to the way they want to grow naturally.

Fruits that should utilize the open center or vase method include quinces, cherries, crabapples, plums, peaches, nectarines and apricots. This system eliminates the central leader and allows plenty of light and air into the tree’s center, but makes for weaker branches so it is not recommended for apples or pears. Try to avoid having all of the branches arise from nearly the same point.

Many fruits such as pears, apples, plums and cherries produce their fruit on stubby growths called spurs. These spurs should not be eliminated or you will not get fruit, however thinning them is recommended.

When planting young shade trees all you need to do is trim off some of the twiggy growth that won’t be a part of the tree’s framework of branches, and twigs that are dead or broken.

Mature shade trees should only need maintenance pruning to remove dead or damaged wood or perhaps a little thinning to allow air and sunlight into the crown. Always cut limbs back to a live branch or main trunk. Cuts should be made just outside (one-quarter of an inch or so) of the branch collar (usually an obvious swelling or wrinkled area at the base of the branch). If you are trimming a large branch, use a three-cut method to reduce tearing of the bark.

Shrubs should only be pruned for maintenance. Occasionally a shrub may get too tall or broad and may need to be cut back. If it’s a flowering shrub, you need to know if it flowers on old wood or new wood. If it blooms on old wood, you want to prune it right after it flowers – examples include lilac and forsythia. If it blooms on new wood, winter is a good time to prune – examples include butterfly bush and crape myrtle.

Broadleaf evergreens, such as oleander, olive, cotoneaster, privet, euonymus and Pyracantha generally need very little pruning and are often better off if you leave them alone. The only pruning should be to remove dead, diseased or damaged wood whenever it occurs, and prune back branches that get too long.

Vines should be pruned to keep them within their bounds. If you want them to stay compact, prune terminal growth during the growing season. If you want them to ramble, cut to the base all but three or four of the strongest branches. Most flowering vines bloom on last year’s wood so avoid pruning in winter or early spring or you won’t get any flowers.

Most roses bloom in late spring, a little during the summer and again in the fall depending on location. If you are pruning a newly planted rose from a container, you should only need to prune away broken or damaged growth. If it is a bare root, you will need to prune away broken or mangle root tips and twiggy growth from the top of the plant.

For maintenance pruning of roses, begin by removing dead, diseased or damaged canes. Next, prune out branches that rub together, and crossing growth in the center of the plant. A general rule of thumb is that when pruning is done, the remaining skeleton should be a vase shape (or you should be able set a small bucket inside the framework). On roses three years old or more, you should prune away about one-third of the oldest growth, then cut one- and two-year-old canes back to the height you want to maintain.