PRINCIPLES OF PRUNING The Definitive Guide for Pruning Confidence
MAX Corona’s best-in-class tools, designed for professionals and passionate gardeners looking for heavy-duty durability and lasting performance, season after season.
RED Designed for general, less intense use by casual gardeners and landscaping enthusiasts who want comfort and control.
THE PRINCIPLES OF PRUNING Proper pruning improves shrubs and trees in any number of important respects, but improper pruning can be more harmful than none at all. Confidence and skill in pruning is gained through experience, so do not shy away from the task. On the other hand, understand the basics before proceeding. The principal reasons for pruning are: The principal reasons for pruning are: • To produce more or better blooms and/or fruits. • To maintain health.
HOW PLANTS GROW Before you start out to prune, learn how plants grow. Trees and shrubs put on new growth each year from the ends of the branches (terminal buds) and from side branches (lateral buds). A plant’s direction and rate of growth are determined by its terminal buds. Lateral buds form branches and twigs that fill in the skeleton of major branches. Dormant buds, which are much less obvious and sometimes hidden below the bark, held in reserve.
PRUNING TOOLS When selecting a pruning tool, the most important thing to consider, is it the right tool for the job. The right tool will assure that you are successful, get the job done confidently instead of quickly, is better for the plant or tree and save excess wear and tear on you. Tools are an investment so purchase the best tool you can afford. Quality tools, when properly cared for, will last many seasons and do a far better job than cheaply made ones.
PRUNING TOOLS AP 3234 SL 7180 RS 7265 Anvil have a straight-edged blade that cuts against a soft metal anvil. They are ideal for cutting harder, dead wood and should not be used on live stems as it will crush it rather than leave a smooth cut. you have to open the tool wider than its natural open position, the limb is likely bigger than the pruner is designed to cut. When in doubt go with a larger cutting tool like a lopper.
PRUNING TOOLS Choose the proper hand pruner: 12 inch 34 inch 1 inch SMALL HANDS Wide: less than 3 1/4 inch Height: less than 6 1/4 inch MEDIUM HANDS Wide: 3 1/2 to 4 inch Height: 6 1/2 to 8 inch LARGE HANDS Wide: more than 4 inch Height: more than 8 inch 8 coronatoolsusa.
PRUNING TOOLS Small Hands Medium Hands U.S. Patent 5,483,747 Large Hands BP 3160 • Resharpenable bypass blade BP 3214 • Specially coated non-stick b lade U.S. Patent 5,483,747 U.S. Patent 5,483,747 Patents U.S.
PRUNING TOOLS TP 6870 Tree Pruners or Pole Pruners are handy for high work, especially in places where using a ladder would be dangerous. Do not attempt to cut dead wood more than 1-inch in diameter with a pole pruner. 10 HS 4344 Hedge Shears are long-handled shears with straight blades at least 8 inches long designed to clip soft young growth on hedges and smaller vines. They will not cleanly cut older, harder wood and should not be used in place of hand shears or loppers.
TIPS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR TOOLS Pruning tool blades that are coated with sap or debris, rusted or dull will decrease their performance. It will be harder to make cuts and will not cut cleanly, that to which will present opportunities for disease and pests. Clean tools after each use with a moistened cloth or towelette with water and mild cleaner like Lysol® or Pine Sol® to remove loose debris. For harder, caked on debris, go for a stiff wire brush, then wipe them down with a moist cloth.
TIPS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR TOOLS 12 Protect the Metal - Apply a generous coat of machine or natural oil on the exposed metal. It will form a protective coating that prevents moisture and water from collecting on the metal. It also helps prevent debris from sticking to the tools during use , making them easier to wipe clean. Give wood handles a coat of linseed oil to protect the finish and prevent moisture from getting on the wood.
PRUNING CUTS EVERY GARDENERS SHOULD KNOW Pruning is necessary to promote good plant health, remove damaged limbs, encourage new growth, and maintain shape. There are four basic pruning cuts, each aimed at producing a different effect. Use sharp, clean tools and wipe-down blades with a clean cloth when moving from plant to plant.
coronatoolsusa.
PRUNING THROUGH THE LIFE OF A TREE Presented by: Proper pruning will get a tree off to a good start and keep it safe and healthy through its life.
PRUNING THROUGH THE LIFE OF A TREE pruning would require a ladder, your wisest move is to call in a professional. Pruning without the proper knowledge and training can not only lead to accidents, but do long-term damage to a tree, causing it to decline or die. Certified arborists are trained not only in safety but in tree care. They know how each kind of tree needs to be pruned to preserve its characteristic form.
coronatoolsusa.
TREE PRUNING METHODS Presented by: Proper pruning is an art based on scientific principles of plant physiology. At its most basic level, pruning trees involves removing damaged, dead or structurally weak limbs, which will improve a tree’s health and reduce the chances of personal or property damage caused by falling limbs. More advanced pruning methods aid in improving the tree’s structure and long-term health.
TREE PRUNING METHODS There are also certain pruning practices that are not acceptable and can injure trees: Topping The reduction of a tree’s size using cuts that shorten limbs or branches back to a predetermined crown limit, often leaving large stubs. 90˚ 45˚ 45˚ Lion’s Tailing The removal of an excessive number of inner branches from the tree. Rooster-Tailing The over-thinning of palms by removing too many lower fronds. An understanding of the end goals lie at the heart of good pruning.
PRUNING DOs AND DON’Ts DO: Presented by: • Ask your arborist or tree care company if they prune according to the American National Standards Institute standard for tree pruning, which is called ANSI A300. This standard recommends, and in some cases requires, that the use of certain tools, cutting techniques and pruning methods be followed, and sets the standard definitions for terms the arborist will use in your estimate.
PRUNING DOS AND DON’TS DON’T: • Prune without a good reason • Remove any more than 25 percent of foliage during a growing season. • Prune a newly planted tree for the first year, unless you are removing dead or broken branches. • Prune within 10 feet of a utility conductor – leave it to the pros. • Try to tackle a pruning job that requires a chain saw and ladder work – leave it to the pros. • Leave branch stubs, or cut off the branch collar (not make a flush cut).
PRUNING FAQS Q: What is the best time of year to prune? Although it all depends on your pruning objectives, most trees can be pruned year-round, if pruned properly. In fact, winter can often be the best time for an arborist to prune. Since the leaves are off, the view of the entire tree’s architecture is clear and a thorough check can be performed. They can locate deadwood by looking for changes in branch color, fungus growth, cracks, and other symptoms that can help them make this determination.
TOPPING IS FOR ICE CREAM, NOT TREES! Topping is not an acceptable practice. Topping is when a tree is indiscriminately cut back to stubs. Usually topping is done to flat-top the tree or cut it back on all sides. The result is unsightly. Topping is often sold as a method to reduce tree size, however studies have shown that a topped tree will actually grow larger over a five-year period compared to an unpruned control tree.
SHADE TREES A tree’s first few years are critical. Pruning then has a profound effect on the ultimate size, shape, and health of the mature tree. Pruning When Planting Shade trees are usually sold balled and burlapped, that is, with most of their roots intact and surrounded by soil. Such trees need little pruning when planted. Simply remove any twiggy growth that won’t be part of the tree’s framework of branches. Container-grown trees need almost no pruning, since none of their roots have been removed.
SHADE TREES cut back the main stem of an especially spindly bareroot plant to encourage branching. Mature Trees Mature trees that have been pruned since planting require little besides maintenance care: removal of dead or damaged wood or the occasional general thinning 1 2 to allow more air into the crown. Always cut large limbs back to a live branch or the main trunk. Most branches have an obvious, sometimes wrinkled, swelling at their base.
PRUNING FRUIT TREES ant. Unlike pruning ornamental trees and shrubs, properly pruning fruit trees makes a difference between large, annual crops of excellent fruit and spotty, intermittent crops of variable quality. Fruit trees are encouraged to bear lots of large fruits, pruning to develop a strong branch system capable of withstanding the annual load of ripe fruit is also critical. For tips on basic pruning techniques and the best times to prune, see “Pruning Methods” and “When to Prune”.
PRUNING FRUIT TREES es from one main trunk. Remove branches growing from the trunk to maintain open space between limbs, and also thin the secondary branches that grow from these limbs. Prune to allow sunlight and air to reach the center of the tree. Modified leader This method began the same as the central leader system, with one strong central trunk.
PRUNING FRUIT TREES A fruit tree allowed to bear all the fruit it sets in the spring will produce scads of poor-quality fruit, or it will produce well only every other year. For consistently good crops you must thin clusters of young fruit to a single fruit. Do this when the fruit is still small (marble to golf-ball size). Each fruit should be 6 inches or more from its neighbor. Such thorough fruit thinning is time-consuming, but you will appreciate the effort come fall.
PRUNING FRUIT TREES Prune plums to an open center. Japanese plums, like peaches, require lots of pruning. Keep after them every year in late winter. European and American plums need much less pruning; an occasional thinning is all that is needed.Many plums bear heavily only every other year. To encourage good annual crops thin young fruit so that the plums are at least 5 inches apart. a modified leader as the tree matures.
AFTER THE STORM: TLC FOR YOUR TREES Besides being the most notable features of your yard, trees are also likely to be your property’s most valuable feature. They are investments that mature over time. Whatever you spent on them initially is only a fraction of what they are worth, monetarily and environmentally, as they grow year after year.
AFTER THE STORM: TLC FOR YOUR TREES Don’t over prune or top: Removing problem branches may leave your tree looking uneven or bare in spots. Resist the temptation to over prune in an effort to make the tree more symmetrical. Small branches and leaves will grow back soon enough, promising the tree will once again be full and balanced. Cutting back healthy limbs (topping) to deter future storm damage should also be avoided.
INSPECTING TREES FOR SAFETY Acute stress occurs suddenly and causes almost immediate harm. Damage caused by flooding, drought, wind, and untimely frosts and freezes are examples of acute stress. Presented by: Chronic stress occurs over time and can be brought on by a nutritional imbalance, improper soil pH, or other factors that take a longer time to develop. Chronic stress is bad enough, but it can be compounded by disease and insects that prey on weakened trees.
INSPECTING TREES FOR SAFETY Here are a few things to look for when inspecting your trees for safety: • Large, dead branches or branches that are just hang ing around can pose a danger. The best time to check for these potential threats is late fall or winter when there is little or no foliage to obstruct your view. • Cavities, rotten wood, or cracks and splits along the trunk or major branches may provide an entrance for cankers and wood-rotting organisms.
PRUNING ROSES As a consulting rosarian that speaks, grows, photographs, and shows roses, company founder Susan Fox was recently awarded the American Rose Society’s (ARS) Presidential Citation “for Promoting the Rose and Rose Education Via Social Media.” She is one of the most highly regarded rosarian’s and gardeners in the industry. Visit her website at gagasgarden.com Susan Fox Depending on the season where you live pruning time can come between the middle of January and the end of April.
FALL ROSE PRUNING | WINTERIZING YOUR ROSES “There are many factors why plants are winter hardy. When artificial means are used to bring a plant through winter, ofter they can conflict with some beneficial factors. For die-back-hardy woody plants, the simplest winter protection technique is applying a few inches of mulch year round. This allows the plant in the autumn to grow into its fullest state of natural dormancy. It prevents the soil from getting as cold as would in open ground.
FALL ROSE PRUNING | WINTERIZING YOUR ROSES There are several reasons to prune your roses: • Removing dead or diseased canes • Remove non-productive branches and make room for ones that will make flowers • Removing crossing branches that clutter the bush or damage others • Open up the interior of the bush for ease in spraying and to promote good flowering stems; • Remove non-productive canes at the base to promote growth of new vigorous canes Finally, shape the bush to please you.
SYMMETRY AND BALANCE Overall, shearing shrubs into uniform balls and transforming trees into green lollipops should be avoided. Such pruning produces an overly dense canopy of vigorous but weak branches that hinders sunlight and air from reaching into the interior of the plant. Some species can tolerate this, but most become more prone to disease and breakage. Instead, take a critical look at deciduous trees and shrubs to get an idea of where branches are headed as they grow.
ORNAMENTAL VINES Whether they climb, creep, cling, twine, or flop and scramble, vines have one thing in common: given favorable conditions they grow like crazy. Pruning vines is largely a matter of keeping them in bounds, and that is best done by controlling growth from the day you plant a vine. When planting, select several of the strongest shoots and prune them back to half their length to encourage more new shoots to grow from the base. As a vine grows, keep it in check.
coronatoolsusa.
WORKING WITH WOODY SHRUBS Presented by: Shrubs can vary greatly in their pruning needs even shrubs in the same genus (hydrangeas or roses, for example) may have very different requirements. This is why it’s always a good idea to seek out in-depth instructions for a particular plant to ensure you are giving it the most appropriate care. That said, most deciduous shrubs tend to be fairly forgiving when it comes to pruning.
SMALL BERRY FRUITS Small-berry fruits require regular pruning. Without annual pruning grape vines bear many small, poor fruits, and bramble fruits become unapproachable (much less harvestable) masses of prickly brambles. Grapes produce fruit on new lateral growth from yearold stems. Prune grapes to limit the number of new laterals and the number of fruit clusters per lateral. As with fruit trees, it is best to thin young fruits to direct more of the plants’ strength into producing fewer, better fruits.
SMALL BERRY FRUITS except for four lateral shoots. Prune these back to two buds. In the third winter cut back the upper cane of each pair to two buds. (This will become next year’s replacement canes.) Cut the lower cane back to 12 buds. This year’s fruit will be borne on these canes. In subsequent years, remove the cane that bore fruit the previous year. Cut the upper cane of the replacement pair back to two buds; the lower cane back to 12 buds.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This booklet is the result of a collaborative effort on the part of numerous individuals and horticultural organizations throughout the United States. Their knowledge and experience in pruning techniques have helped make the “Principles of Pruning” a clear, concise guide to pruning that is both informative and easy to use. Our thanks to: The Chicago Botanic Garden The Fort Worth Botanic Garden The Florida Cooperative Extension Service of Orange County Bonnie J. S. Day-M.S.
Corona Clipper, Inc. 22440 Temescal Canyon Road • Corona, CA 92883 (951) 737-6515 | (800) 847-7863 | sales@corona.bellota.com coronatoolusa.com Connect with Corona Tools! © Copyright 2016 Corona Clipper, Inc.
