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

LandscapePruning Trees

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

Sharp&

Sterile

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

Making the Cut

Pruning Technique• Heading

– Removes a part of a shoot

ThinningRemoves the entire shoot

or limb

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 ReductionRatio 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

• Correct Tools• Correct Time

• Correct Technique

“Placebo” - making the user feel goodResearch shows that paint or wound dressings do not

stop decay nor cause the wound to close faster

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.

Plant #1:Create a central leader on this young

plant.

Plant #2:Allow plant to have a higher canopy

Plant #3:Open the Canopy