What You Need To Know About Pruning

Hedge Sheers, for formal hedges only!

 Pruning is an art and a science. There are some hard and fast rules but also a subjecting sense of doing what feels right. You can read books and books about pruning and get overwhelmed with information. If you have any woody shrubs or trees on your property, here are some basic rules to get you started. 

First, use sharp, clean tools. I good pair of by-pass hand pruners will go a long way. For larger branches, you may need a lopper. You can easily find these at any hardware store. It's best to sanitize your tools between plants so you don't spread any pathogens from plant to plant. One tool you should use sparingly are hedge sheers. The only woody plants you should ever use them on is formal hedges. They are really hard on plants and the only reason you can use them on formal hedges is because yews and boxwood are hardy enough to handle the abuse. 

Second, you can always prune out the three D's - dead, diseased or damaged. If you see this on your plant any time of year, go ahead and prune them off. 

2 Branch Collars

Third, always leave on the branch collar when you prune a branch off. The branch collar is the swelling of wood at the base of a  branch and it's natures way of keeping pathogens from getting into the larger branch or trunk. (see picture). 

Fourth, buy the appropriate sized plant for the space available. If you purchase a rhododendron that wants to be 15 feet high and plant it under your living room window, you will be fighting with it forever. Trying to keep a plant smaller than it wants to be requires more effort than most people are willing to put in. So, measure your space and buy a plant that won't need to be controlled for size. 

Finally your best bet is to always know the proper ID of your plant and then research it's specific pruning needs. You don't need to know how to prune pine trees if there are no pines on your property. You can just learn how to take care of the plants you have. 

Plants in general are hardier than we give them credit for. Most will over come a pruning mistake or two. So don't be afraid to take care of your plants. Educate yourself and then do it! For further reading...

https://extension.psu.edu/pruning-shrubs-and-trees

https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/counties/lackawanna/news/2015/to-prune-or-not-to-prune-it-all-depends-on-flowering