FREE online courses on Vegetable Gardening - Pruning - Pruning Mature Trees

 

Before you start pruning, look at the tree from a few angles and decide what you'd like to accomplish.

 

That could be to change the shape, raise the crown, open up the center or any number of things.

 

Whatever goals you set, you should remove any dead or crossing branches. They hinder a tree's growth.

 

You should also eliminate branches growing at narrow angles to the main vertical branches. They form narrow angle crotches that are much weaker than joints formed by branches growing at wide angles.

 

TIP: When cutting off a branch, always leave the branch collar intact, the thickened area where it joins the trunk. But if stub is long enough to hang a hat on, then you haven't cut enough.

 

Try to work slowly, thinking about your cuts and their impact before actually doing them. A second opinion is often valuable, so you might work with a partner.