{"id":409,"date":"2020-09-16T20:45:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-17T00:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jmf.webdemos.cloud\/?p=409"},"modified":"2023-04-16T20:45:35","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T00:45:35","slug":"quintessential-guide-pruning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmflandscaping.com\/quintessential-guide-pruning\/","title":{"rendered":"The Quintessential Guide to Pruning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We’ve compiled everything you need to know about pruning: the what’s, the why’s, the how’s and the when’s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If you\u2019re someone who\u2019s suffered from a quarantine haircut, you might know how a \u201cquick trim\u201d can end up being a disastrous mistake. We can apply this same understanding to pruning our trees, plants, and shrubs\u2014without knowing what you\u2019re doing, you may end up doing more harm than good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, to give you a leg up for the upcoming pruning season, we\u2019ll share exactly what pruning is, why and how you should do it, and when the best time is to get out your shears and make some cuts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Pruning?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If you\u2019re unfamiliar with the science behind pruning [1], here\u2019s a quick summary. The main growing shoot of a plant impacts the shoots located below. Pruning encourages growth of these other, lower shoots by impacting a specific hormone\u2014auxin.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Auxin is released into the green tip of an actively growing shoot and is transported down the main stem to stimulate shoot growth. All of the shoot tips will compete for the hormone. When pruning takes place, the pathway that the auxin usually follows is interrupted. This means that dormant buds are able to grow into branches<\/a> in an attempt to restore this pathway. This can be commonly seen as a proliferation in the conversion of lateral buds into branches, which takes place just below where the pruning cut was made. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this brief look into plant hormones, it\u2019s no wonder that pruning is normally met with some trepidation from gardners. It\u2019s difficult to trim foliage, especially that which looks beautiful and healthy. It\u2019s even more difficult to know what<\/em> to cut when you\u2019re inexperienced. Deciding what plants\/trees to prune, where exactly to cut, and how much to be removed sometimes ends up being too burdensome to consider that we end up putting pruning off until next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let\u2019s tackle that first question: what plants and trees should be pruned?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to other related reasons for pruning (which we\u2019ll discuss later), there are many perennials, trees, and shrubs that will grow stronger and produce more blooms if they\u2019re regularly pruned. This includes woody plants and trees like roses, fruit trees, deciduous trees, hedges, and so much more<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you realize what <\/em>needs pruning, you can begin to determine where and how to prune<\/strong>, which requires you to understand how the plant will respond to any pruning.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Shoot Growth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The shoots include the woody stems, as well as their appendages, leaves, and buds. Having some insight into the natural rules of shoot growth [2] will help you better understand where pruning is needed and how it will impact the plant as a whole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different plants and trees will have different patterns of shoot growth, and there are no specific pruning instructions that could be applied to all trees in all circumstances,<\/em> but there are general rules that can be helpful with fruit trees and most deciduous trees: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Two branches that emerge from the same location of the tree trunk and are identical in diameter and length<\/strong> will have the same growth potential. This means that they will receive similar levels of hormones and nutrients. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. If two branches that are identical in all respects (emerging from the same location, same length), the branch that\u2019s thicker in diameter will grow more vigorously<\/strong> than the thinner one. Pruning the thicker branch may help to support the other one but, ultimately, if the limb becomes too large it may need to be removed entirely as it might prevent the development of other limbs around the tree.  <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Given that all other conditions are the same, a branch at a steeper angle<\/strong> will grow more vigorously. As a pruner, check for any upright limbs (those that are growing at an angle of 30 degrees relative to the trunk) because these will grow too quickly and end up being unproductive. Conversely, any flat limbs that are growing at an angle of 90 degrees<\/strong> relative to the trunk (or more) will also be weak and any upright shoots that grow off of these limbs may end up becoming unproductive after a year or two (and only produce small fruit). That said, they should be removed so that healthier limbs can develop. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. With two branches that are growing at the same angle, the one that\u2019s higher up will grow more vigorously<\/strong> than the branch that\u2019s lower in the tree. This is important to consider because if there are two limbs that are of equal size, the one higher up will continue to grow more quickly relative to the lower branch and might end up shading out the lower limb(s). If it appears that there could be a problem in years to come, removing any large limbs at the top of the tree may be a proactive way to prevent problems. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. The dominant shoot in the center of the tree is referred to as the central leader. Branches that grow closer to this central leader will grow more vigorously<\/strong> than branches that are further away. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Lightly pruned trees, or those not pruned at all,<\/strong> will flower and fruit at a younger age. Unless you notice a problem, like one of those listed above, that will restrict\/prevent the growth of a branch, pruning a young tree should be avoided <\/a>or only done modestly if you want to achieve early flowering\/fruiting.  <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Heavily pruned trees will generally result in smaller trees<\/strong>. A tree that remains unpruned will always end up with a larger trunk diameter than a pruned tree. Although severe pruning may produce more vigorous shoot growth near the pruning cuts, the overall growth will be reduced compared to a tree that is lightly pruned or not pruned at all. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Later pruning (i.e. later in the spring) will result in shorter growth from the terminal bud<\/strong>. Pruning in the spring (after you already see some shoot growth) will reduce the terminal growth for the season\u2014which can be a good thing for trees that have restricted fruiting because of vigorous growth.  <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Why People Might Decide to Prune<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    Beyond pruning to maintain and support the health of the tree or plant in question, there may be several other reasons you might decide to prune. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You may want to direct the growth of your plant towards a certain direction or to fill a specific space<\/strong>, like in the case of a formal hedge. Pruning could be purely for an aesthetic purpose, you might want to train the plant to grow to a specific size or shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pruning may also be motivated by safety concerns<\/strong>. For instance, you may have a tree that\u2019s approaching a power line, growing too close to the house, or is simply becoming too big. You also may have a fruit tree<\/a> that is pruned to be lower to help make picking easier\/safer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Speaking of fruiting plants, pruning is an important component of ensuring quality fruit as it allows additional light to penetrate into the tree. The quality of the fruit or flowers will be directly impacted by the amount of wood on a tree or plant and reducing any unnecessary or unhealthy limbs will direct more energy to the growth of fruit and flowers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What Tools Should Be Used for Pruning?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    What tools you\u2019ll use will generally depend on what tools you have available. While it may not seem that important, the quality of the tools will play a pretty big role in the quality of the pruned tree or plant. Try to purchase the best quality tools<\/a> that you can afford. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Also, keeping these tools in a good condition is essential. <\/em>Keep them well oiled and sharpened. Clean the tools regularly with denatured alcohol (which is especially important after pruning diseased wood). <\/p>\n\n\n\n