Early summer is a great time to prune trees and shrubs. But like any activity that I do at intervals that are spaced far apart, I find that it’s good to review the essentials before I begin this seasonal work. Here are three simple rules of pruning: Leave the branch collar. Prune la...
Early summer is a great time to prune trees and shrubs. But like any activity that I do at intervals that are spaced far apart, I find that it’s good to review the essentials before I begin this seasonal work. Here are three simple rules of pruning: Leave the branch collar. Prune la...
Topping, the pruning of large upright branches between twig nodes, is sometimes done to reduce the height of a tree. Tipping is a practice of cutting lateral branches between nodes to reduce crown width. These practices invariably result in the development of epicormic sprouts or the death of t...
Full-size Chinese elm trees should be pruned in early spring before they begin producing buds. Mature trees do not require annual pruning, but younger trees do. A Chinese elm treecan be grown in two primary forms -- the ordinary tree, which can grow to be 60 feet tall or more, and th...
Prune each branch close to the “knuckle” or branch collar where it connects to the main trunk after your tree is older. Do not cut off the swollen knuckle or collar. Paint each cut with a tar-based product that will protect the tree from disease and insect invasion if you desire, alt...
NEVERtop a tree. Cutting the top of its primary leader is bad pruning and will create new vertical branches and waterspouts, and will risk the integrity of the tree structure. Pruning Hedges As mentioned above, prune evergreen shrubs or hedges in the early spring. However, you can continue...
Palm Tree Hurricane Pruning Hurricane palm tree pruning. Photo byFlickr. Because hurricane cut is such a big problem throughout the coastal areas, it deserves its own section. Some tree trimmers that have nothing else to do, offer hurricane cut, a technique that could be fatal to palms. ...
As you notice it, do a light pruning to remove: More Like This diseased branches damaged branches dead branches dead wood The Two Types of Apple Trees In order to prune your apple tree correctly, you must understand that there are two different types: some apple trees are spur bearing, and...
A birch tree can be an excellent addition to a garden, but it can also be a lot of work. Birches are delicate, and they require special care to thrive in the garden. For gardeners who are thinking of planting a birch tree, some thought should go into the selection and planting process...
Planting is a great time to do some light pruning that will benefit the tree's health long term. First, use clean and sharp hand pruners to remove any dead, diseased or damaged branches. Next, stand back and look at the tree. Are there any "competing leaders" or multiple branches that...