Pruning Trees & Shrubs
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Transcript Pruning Trees & Shrubs
Landscape
Pruning Trees
The appearance of a properly pruned plant is like a good
hair cut: hardly noticeable at first glance.
Presented by
Dr. Teri Hamlin
Georgia Department of Education
Pruning
Pruning at Planting:
If quality plant stock, pruning is not
necessary
Do not prune to compensate for root
loss
latest research show pruning does not
help overcome transplant shock
Why Prune
Removal of dead, broken, diseased, or
insect-infested branches
Maintain desired shape & size (make it
look natural)
Promote healthy vigorous growth
Promote flowering & fruiting
Allow air and light to enter the interior
of the plant.
Pruning
Tools
Sharp
&
Sterile
Pruning Tools
Hand Shears: branches up to ½” in diameter
Lopping Shears: branches ½ to 1 ½” in diameter
Pruning Saw: branches larger than 1 ½” in diamter
Chain Saw: branches larger than 3”
Pole Pruner: long-handled pruner to reach into canopy w/o a
ladder. (power pole pruner)
Hedge Shears: hedges and other shrubs up to ½” in diameter
Grass shears: 2 blades designed to cut grass around edges of
walks or flower beds.
Making the Cut
Directional Pruning- cuts should
be about ¼ in above bud or beyond branch
collar
Making the Cut
Pruning Technique
Heading
Removes a part of a
shoot
Thinning
Removes the entire shoot
or limb
Pruning Technique
Thinning Selectively
cutting oldest branches to ground opens
center and promotes new growth
Pruning Technique
Heading
Use for small leaf
hedges
Creates dense, tight
foliage
Rejuvenating/Renewal
• Restore overgrown
shrubs
• Cut all branches 4-8”
above ground
• If there are any diseased
or dead plants you
should remove them
first.
Crown Thinning
No more than one-fourth of the
living branches should be removed at
one time
Crown Raising
• Remove branch from
bottom to provide
clearance
• After pruning the ratio
of living crown to total
tree height should be at
least two-thirds
Crown Reduction
Ratio of live crown to total
tree height should be at least
two-thirds
Never cut main
branches of
tree back to
stubs
(Topping Trees)
A. Remove suckers
B. Low Growing Branches
interfere w/maintenance
practices
C. Upright growing shoots
or waterspouts
D. Inward growing branches
E. Branches that compete
with a central leader
Pruning Young Tree
Large Limbs
A. Make partial cut from underneath
B. Make a second cut from above several
inches out
allows the limb to fall
C. Complete job with final cut just
outside the branch collar
Pruning Limbs
An Improper Cut
made through the
branch collar will
take 3x longer to
heal
Pruning Time
General Rule
• Trees & Plants that flower before May
– Prune after bloom
• Dogwood, Redbud, Saucer Magnolia, Flowering
Cherry
• Azalea, Forsythia, Rhododendron, Clematis, Climbing
roses
• Trees & Plants that flower after May
– Prune prior to spring growth
• Chaste Tree, Crape Myrtle, Sourwood
• Camellia, Nandina, Sweetshrub, Abelia, Floribunda
roses
North Carolina Pruning Time
January - March
Broadleaf evergreen
Needleaf evergreen
Renewal Pruning
Large Tree Limbs
Pruning Paint
“Placebo” - making the user feel good
Research shows that paint or wound dressings do not
stop decay nor cause the wound to close faster
Successful Pruning
Correct Tools
Correct Time
Correct Technique
www.planitdiy.com/how-to-prune-trees-and-shrubs/
What To Prune?
On your Pruning Worksheet put a line through the parts of
the tree or shrub that you feel should be pruned and tell why.
Mark in pencil so you can make corrections if needed.
Plant #1:
Create a central leader on this young
plant.
Plant #2:
Allow plant to have a higher canopy
Plant #3:
Open the Canopy