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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
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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 • 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
Pruning Technique • Thinning • Removes the entire shoot or limb • Heading • Removes a part of a shoot
Pruning Technique Thinning Selectively cutting oldest branches to ground opens center and promotes new growth
Pruning TechniqueHeading • 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.
Root Pruning • Don’t prune completely flush with the main trunk
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)
Pruning Young Tree • A. Remove suckers • B. Low Growing Branches infer w/maintenance practices • C. Upright growing shoots or waterspouts • D. Inward growing branches • E. Branches that compete with a central leader
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 TimeGeneral 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 Georgia 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 • Correct Tools • Correct Time • Correct Technique Successful Pruning
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.
