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How to Prune
Proper pruning techniques help to ensure that trees and shrubs aren't injured during the pruning process.
Pruning Tools
It's important to use the right pruning tool for the job at hand. A tool that's too small for the branch you're trying to cut won't be able to make the cut effectively, and it will put both you and the plant at risk of injury. A tool that's bigger than necessary may be unwieldy and difficult to manipulate.
Hand-held pruning shears are best used on branches 3/4 inch in diameter or less. Loppers have blades similar to those of pruning shears, but they have longer handles to increase leverage, giving them the ability to cut branches up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Pruning saws typically have curved, toothed blades, some of which fold for easy carrying and storage, and they are the best choice for branches 1 1/2 inches in diameter or greater. Pole saws have similar blades mounted at the end of a long pole to make it possible to reach high branches.
Keep all of your pruning tools clean and sharp so that they will cut safely and efficiently.
Where to Cut
When you're pruning a branch away from the trunk of a tree or shrub, make the cut just to the branch side of the branch collar: the swelling of the bark at the base of the branch where it meets the trunk. Make the cut perpendicular to the axis of the branch as it angles away from the trunk.
When pruning to shorten a branch, cut at a slight angle about 1/4 inch above a lateral bud. Choose a bud that faces toward the outside of the plant so that the new branch will not grow toward the interior of the tree's canopy.
What to Avoid
The goal is to cut each branch above the branch collar so that you leave the collar intact and that you're pruning away only tissue from the branch and not from the trunk. If you prune the branch flush with the trunk, the cut is likely to injure the trunk and the wound may not heal properly. However, if you leave a stub of the branch above the collar, the stub will eventually die and decay, leaving the plant vulnerable to infection.
Pruning Large Branches
Things You'll Need
Pruning saw
Gardening gloves
Eye protection
Step 1: Make an Initial Cut
After you've put on gloves and eye protection, make a cut on the bottom side of the branch about a foot above the base of the branch. Cut perpendicular to the branch about a third of the way through its diameter.
Step 2: Make a Second Cut
Make the second cut on the top side of the branch between 1 and 3 inches above the first cut, cutting through the branch until it breaks cleanly away.
Step 3: Make a Final Cut
After the branch has been removed, make a third cut just beyond the branch collar so that no stub remains.
Disinfecting Pruning Tools
To prevent the spread of disease as you move from cut to cut and tree to tree, disinfect your pruning tools after each cut. Carry a small bucket filled with a solution of 50 percent rubbing alcohol and 50 percent water and let your pruning tools soak as you prepare to work. Dip the blades of the tools in the solution after each cut, and allow them soak for 2 to 5 minutes as you move from one tree to the next.
