Proper Pruning For Healthy Trees and Shrubs

Most people know that trees and shrubs require some pruning, but few know why… and even fewer know when or how to do it properly. While pruning isn’t difficult, you must know what you’re doing to keep your plants healthy and attractive. 

In this guide, we’ll delve into the art of pruning — unlocking the basic secrets to revitalizing your plants and cultivating healthier growth. 

What is pruning?

Pruning, quite simply, means trimming a tree, shrub, or bush by selectively removing dead, diseased or overgrown branches or stems to promote plant health, improve aesthetics and control growth.
Each time you prune a tree, you are infllicting damage like when you cut your finger. When pruning, cuts shouldn’t be over two inches in diameter. At this size, the wound is small enough to be quickly repaired by the tree, with the cut covered by callus tissue called woundwood. 

Occasionally, you may need to cut a branch or limb larger than two inches. If this is the case, it’s important to note that even large wounds be left to heal on their own and not covered with any type of paint. Wound dressings don’t protect the tree from infections — they tend only to seal in moisture and encourage decay.

But safety isn’t the only benefit we derive from pruning.

• Pruning helps keep your trees and shrubs healthy. By removing dead, diseased or damaged branches you help prevent the spread of infections and pests. If you suspect disease, clean your equipment between cuts so you don’t spread it to healthy limbs.
• It improves air circulation and sunlight penetration, reducing the risk of fungal diseases and promoting better overall plant health.
• By selectively trimming and shaping your plants, pruning enhances their aesthetic appeal. It allows you to control plants' size, shape, and density, creating a more balanced and attractive appearance.
• By removing old or unproductive branches, pruning redirects the plant's energy towards new growth, leading to denser foliage and more vibrant flowers or fruit.
• Whether you prefer formal hedges, topiaries or natural-looking shapes, pruning allows you to sculpt your plants to fit your landscape design.

What are the benefits of pruning?

At the bare minimum, trees should be inspected regularly, pruning away any branches or limbs that are damaged, dead or weak. By removing these potential hazards, you improve the structural integrity of your plants and increase their lifespan — and ensure falling limbs don’t damage your person or property.

But safety isn’t the only benefit we derive from pruning.

• Pruning helps keep your trees and shrubs healthy. By removing dead, diseased or damaged branches you help prevent the spread of infections and pests. If you suspect disease, clean your equipment between cuts so you don’t spread it to healthy limbs.
• It improves air circulation and sunlight penetration, reducing the risk of fungal diseases and promoting better overall plant health.
• By selectively trimming and shaping your plants, pruning enhances their aesthetic appeal. It allows you to control plants' size, shape, and density, creating a more balanced and attractive appearance.
• By removing old or unproductive branches, pruning redirects the plant's energy towards new growth, leading to denser foliage and more vibrant flowers or fruit.
• Whether you prefer formal hedges, topiaries or natural-looking shapes, pruning allows you to sculpt your plants to fit your landscape design. 

When should trees and shrubs be pruned?

At Brandon Rushing, our maintenance pruning schedule begins in May and is completed in October. 

Late spring is a great time to prune ornamental trees and shrubs… however, pay attention to bloom times for each specific plant to avoid nipping off the buds. 

The end of the pruning season includes most evergreens like yews, holly, boxwood and nandina.  We also tend to any ground covers that need pruning before the winter.

 The next phase is dormancy pruning, typically done in January and February. This service includes roses, spirea, hydrangea, and most deciduous shrubs and trees. Pruning during dormancy encourages new growth in the spring — it’s also easier to identify branches and limbs that need removing without leaves being in the way.

How to Prune Properly

Before you start pruning, you need to identify your reason for pruning. Different tools and methods may be used depending on the specific goals and requirements.

Shaping — Pruning a tree to shape it involves selectively removing branches to achieve a desired form or silhouette. Here is a general step-by-step guide on how to prune a tree for shaping purposes. 

• Consider the tree's natural growth habit and visualize the shape you want to achieve. 
• Begin by removing any dead, diseased, or damaged branches. Make clean cuts just outside the branch collar (the swollen area where the branch attaches to the trunk or larger branch) to promote proper healing.
• Aim for a balanced shape by evenly distributing branches throughout the canopy. Remove overcrowded or crossing branches that may impede air circulation or rub against each other, leading to damage.
• Periodically step back to assess the tree's shape as you prune. Ensure you're achieving the desired form and maintaining a natural appearance.

It's crucial not to remove more than 25% of the tree's canopy in a single pruning session to avoid putting too much stress on the tree or shrub. Gradual pruning over multiple years is usually recommended for significant shape changes.

Thinning — Pruning a tree to thin it involves selectively removing branches throughout the canopy to reduce density and improve air circulation and light penetration. While similar to how to shape a tree, there are a few differences.

• In addition to removing dead, diseased or damaged limbs and branches, remove the suckers emerging rom the trunk or main branches, cutting them off entirely. 
• Branches growing towards the center of the canopy reduce air circulation and contribute to congestion. Selectively remove some of these branches, leaving the ones with good structure and outward growth.

It's important not to remove too much foliage in one pruning session. Cut off no more than one-third of the live branches to keep the plant healthy.

Rejuvenating — Pruning a tree to rejuvenate it involves a more aggressive approach to stimulate new growth and restore vitality to an aging or declining tree.

• The best time to rejuvenate prune a tree is during its dormant season, owever, some species may have specific timing requirements, so research the particular tree or consult an arborist for guidance.
• Look for signs of decline, such as dead or diseased branches, sparse foliage, or weak growth. Consider the tree's age and health before proceeding with rejuvenation pruning.
• Remove dead and diseased wood, making clean cuts just outside the branch collar to promote proper healing and prevent the spread of disease.
• Remove the largest and most problematic branches at their points of origin, making clean, sloping cuts just outside the branch collar.
• Thin out the remaining branches to improve air circulation and light penetration. Aim to create an open and balanced structure.
• Consider heading back some of the remaining branches to stimulate new growth. Make heading cuts just above a healthy bud or lateral branch, ensuring the cut is at a slight angle away from the bud.

After rejuvenation pruning it’s important to give your plants a little extra TLC. Ensure they’re appropriately watered, fertilized (if necessary) and monitored for pests or diseases.

Tools needed for pruning 

You’ll need a variety of tools for pruning, including hand pruners, loppers, pruning saws, hedge shears, pruning sheers and perhaps even a chain saw. You’ll also need some way to safely reach the higher branches. 

Keep all tools sharp and clean between cuts to avoid spreading disease. 

Check out this short video from Lowes for a basic primer on pruning trees.

Leave pruning to the professionals

Pruning a tree or shrub requires knowledge and skill to achieve the desired results without compromising their health or structure. If you are uncertain about how to prune correctly or when to prune certain shrubs or trees, just book a consultation with our team. Pruning is one of the many services we provide, and we’d be happy to help.