Pruning Hints

The in's and outs of pruning.

Salvia pachyphylla
Item # 84765 		Salvia pachyphylla
Giant Flowered Purple Sage

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Item # J2550 		Forestiera neomexicana
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The Zen of Gardening in the High and Arid West
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  • Topic: Pruning
  • Keywords: trees, pruning, cutting, trimming, Trees
  • Date: February 2002

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Now is the time to start thinking about pruning fruit trees, shade trees, shrubs and vines.

Unfortunately, how and when you prune particular plants can depend on whom you ask. For instance, we’ve always advocated against pruning early spring-blooming shrubs at the end of winter—because you’re taking off the buds that will produce flowers. Some pruners don’t share that concern. In general, it can take some trial and error to find what works for your particular plants.

Remember—all trees and shrubs have unique characteristics that determine how and when they should be pruned. Fruit trees that produce on old wood (apples) have different pruning requirements than those that produce on spurs or new growth (apricots); trees that have reached maturity have different pruning requirements than young ones producing a lot of new growth.

Why Prune?

There are many reasons to take a proactive approach to your tree and shrub maintenance with regard to pruning. Problems that can develop if you don’t prune regularly include awkward growth, poor fruiting or blooming, the splitting of healthy tissue due to heavy branches or die back caused by too little light entering the interior of the plant.

Nature is an active pruner! Heavy snowfalls remove branches that are too low; trees with V trunks often split themselves apart—the end result being that trees that are unable to care for themselves properly don’t live as long. But in our own gardens when we plant a tree we’d like it to stay there for a while, produce well and live as long as we do. It’s in our own hands: taking a little time right now when you’re itching to get into the garden anyway will promote healthy growth and longer life spans.

How Do You Prune?

The “How” to prune is too intricate to be covered in a single article, because each tree or plant has different requirements. Luckily intricate doesn’t have to be difficult. Pruning is an art (and a religion—I once had a friend tell me to “get more Zen” while pruning a weeping mulberry) but like most arts, can be practiced at many different levels. Develop the basics and then, if you’re inclined, you’ll be equipped to get more in depth.

For all around pruning know-how, our nursery manager, Katherine O’ Brien, suggests the book “Pruning Simplified” by Lewis Hill. This primer has great illustrations, which go a long way towards de-mystifying the art and science of pruning. With in-depth chapters on every type of leafy thing you might want to take a blade to, Hill’s book provides information accessible enough for the layman and comprehensive enough for the aficionado.

The best advice we can give is “know thy shrub.” If you pay attention to how your plants respond to pruning you’ll be better able to meet their needs. Over time you’ll develop a second sense with regard to pruning—as an art and a way of life.

February is the Best Month for Pruning

Pruning trees and shrubs is best done in February. There are many books and magazine articles that can be read to study up on this subject. Here are two points about pruning I like to emphasize. Don’t use pruning tar! This encourages disease problems by keeping the wound damp. Instead leave the cut open to the air and allow the plant to callus over its wound.

Secondly, never cut flush to the larger stem. Flush cuts result in unseen damage to the tree/shrub’s food storage tissue in the cambium below the cut. Instead come out 1/2 inch or so and cut just beyond the “shoulder” or raised ring of bark where the smaller branch attaches to the larger branch or main trunk.