Pruning is the selective removal of living, dying or dead plant parts, either soft-tissue (herbaceous) or woody (trees, shrubs, and conifers). It is an important and often neglected component of overall landscape maintenance, but when done properly can enhance the beauty and value of your property. The objectives of pruning vary greatly and include, but are not limited to, promoting healthy growth, maintaining structure, removing diseased or dead limbs, opening up vistas, repairing storm damage, controlling size, and encouraging flowering or fruit production.
There are a number of specialized pruning techniques to achieve specific outcomes, but two of the most valuable are thinning and heading. Thinning helps open the center of a tree and head trimming controls size and height. Both are useful in the proper care and management of conifers, roses, crape myrtles and many other types of plants.
If your goal is to grow a large conifer such as a pine or spruce, prune in late winter or early spring to reduce the risk of a heavy, potentially destructive limb break. This is particularly true for young trees, which need to develop a strong, flexible structure before they become mature enough to resist breaking under their own weight.
For most deciduous trees, the best time to prune is in late winter or early spring before they start growing again in spring. This is when they are most likely to heal well and avoid bleeding from their leaf wounds. Some shade trees, such as birch and maple, may bleed some sap as they come out of dormancy in the fall or winter, but this isn’t harmful and will eventually stop.
In areas where climate conditions allow, pruning can be done year round. However, it is best to limit the amount of trimming a tree is subject to in any one year, as this can place too much stress on the tree and reduce its ability to grow.
When you prune a deciduous tree or shrub, it is important to make each cut as clean as possible. Use sharp, clean tools to prevent tearing of the bark and to ensure the smooth, unblemished surface of the cut. After each cut, wipe your tools with alcohol or a bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) to disinfect the cutting edge and to remove any spores from the tool. After cleaning, rinse and dry your tools thoroughly to prevent rusting.
source https://standfasttreeservices1.wordpress.com/2024/05/11/pruning-tips/
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