Eagle Lake Nurseries Gardening Tips

September 2004

Pruning Plant Material in Your Garden!

Reasons to prune:
  • Remove dead, damaged and diseased wood
  • Remove root suckers
  • Remove water sprouts
  • Remove inward growing branches
  • Correct weak crotches
  • Remove crossing branches
  • Increase air circulation
  • Increase sunlight penetration
  • Safety
    • There are five basic methods used in pruning: thinning, pinching, heading back, shearing and pollarding:
    When thinning, removal of entire branches is done to open the crown. This is commonly used on fruit trees. It allows more fruit to set on the inside of the crown.

    Pinching is the removal of the terminal growth. This is used to shorten the size and encourage lateral growth. This is usually done to annuals.

    Heading back is the removal of the terminal growth. The branch is cut back to the next available branch. This technique is used on woody shrubs to encourage thicker growth and more flower buds.

    Shearing is done to shape hedges and specimen trees into a certain shape. This is done by evenly cutting back all branches.

    A pruning technique that is not commonly used is Pollarding, this is used to reduce height. Every year the branch is cut back to the same spot. This is very undesirable, as it will cause a lot of vigorous weak growth.
    Pruning Deciduous Trees

    Poplars and Willows - These trees are fast growing and do not require pruning except for corrective purposes. Golden willows can be given a heavy pruning each year to encourage colorful new bark

    Ash and Elm - These trees are slow growing and have wider crotches. Early training and thinning of these trees is important

    Crabapple, Mountain Ash, Prunus species - Prune before bloom on the crabapples and after bloom on Prunus species. These need thinning out to keep the crown open. All suckers should be removed on these varieties

    Birch and Maples - These trees should ONLY be prune after full leaf expansion in late June or early July. This will prevent excessive bleeding. Annual thinning is required on maples

    Bur Oak - This slow growing tree requires little pruning. Remove double leaders

    Larch - Prune out double leaders

    Pruning Evergreen Trees

    Both pine and spruce have the same requirements and should not require pruning except for corrective purposes. Partially removing the new growth (candles) in the spring can encourage lots of lateral growth. This will make the tree appear denser. This should be done when the candle have elongated, usually the end of May.

    Pine and spruce have a natural needle shed. After years of shearing off the new growth the tree will become unsightly.

    Pruning Shrubs

    With so many different types of shrubs and many different ways of pruning, some easy to remember rules are:

  • Early flowering shrubs, before June.20 should be pruned right after flowering.

  • Late flowering shrubs, after June. 20 should be pruned in the dormant season. This includes shrubs grown for stem color.

    Early-flowering shrubs set their flower buds the summer before they flower. We want to promote new growth that can set buds for the following year. Late flowering shrubs bloom on old wood and set their buds in the spring. Again we want to encourage new growth for the following season.

    Shrubs that are grown for stem and leaf color need to be pruned hard each year. This will produce many new woody stems that are full of bright color or have dense new leaves.

    Evergreen shrubs should be allowed to grow naturally and should require minimal pruning. Junipers and cedars do well when they are sheared or trimmed back to a side branch.

    Pruning Roses

    The purpose of pruning roses is to remove older wood that will eventually die. This makes for a stronger plant because energy is spent on newer stronger growth instead of older weaker growth. Cut back to an outward facing bud that will become the new wood in the spring.

    Pruning Fruit Trees

  • Central leader system - The leader is allowed to grow. This result is a very large tree.

  • Modified leader system - The tree is allowed to grow naturally until 5-7 scaffold branches are present the leader is cut out.

  • Open center system - This results in a lower crown with branches closer to the ground.

    Apples, Pears and Plums - Thin out entire branches instead of heading back.

    Apricot - Encourage new growth by heading back. These tree only produce on one and two year old wood.

    Pruning Bush Fruit

    Raspberries - Red and yellow varieties produce fruit on second year growth. Older canes should be removed annually.

    Currants - Red and white currants bear fruit on two and three year old canes. Pruning should be done to keep the bush thinned out so new wood can grow inside of the bush. Black currants should have three years and older wood removed the bear fruit on two-year-old wood.

    Gooseberries and Bush Fruit - Prune to keep the bush open. They bear fruit on one, two and three year old wood.

    Saskatoons - Prune to thin center of shrub. The largest and sweetest fruit is born on the youngest branches.

    Types of Pruning Tools

    It is important to pick the proper tools for the specific job. Tools should be sharp and clean. A 2% solution of bleach or Lysol can be used as a disinfectant.

  • Secateurs or Pruners - These are small hand held tools used to remove small branches and twigs.

  • Loppers - These are similar to pruners but have longer handles and can be used to cut larger branches up to 3 inches.

  • Pruning Saws - are useful when cutting branches that are to larger or awkward to cut with loppers.

  • Pole Pruners - Loppers or saws are attached to a long pole that allows you to prune higher branches.

  • Chain Saw - This tool should be used only for removing very large branches.

    Renee O'Brien
    Eagle Lake Nurseries Ltd.


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