Pruning Basics

1. Always remove dead or diseased wood first.  This allows you to see what you have left to work with.
2. Decide which major branches you are going to keep.  As you go down this list and determine what needs to be pruned away, make sure you look healthy branches that provide a good structure for your tree.
3. Remove branches that grow into the middle of the tree.
4. Remove branches that rub.  The rubbing cause open wounds and or weakened branches.  Select which branch should remain and remove the other.
5. Remove branches with narrow crotches.
6. Remove branches that are too close or run parallel, this results in poor spacing.
7. Don’t take off more than a third of the tree. This results in bad growth (water sprouts or suckers) and stresses the tree.
8. Don’t take off all the low branches too soon – they help to thicken the trunk.  The first time you get poked in the eye while mowing the lawn, you’ll be tempted to remove all branches lower than 6 feet, but leaving a few lower branches for a few more years will benefit the tree.
9. Always use the three cut approach to larger branches to avoid damaging the trunk.
10. Don’t cut too close to the trunk.  Leave the collar to avoid creating a bigger wound than is necessary.
11. If your tree has a terrible branching structure, you may have to do corrective pruningin phases over several years (to avoid issues from #7).
12. Don’t fight the natural branching pattern of the tree. For example, flowering pears have a narrow or columnar growth pattern until they are larger, then the branches begin to spread.  If you prune against their nature, it will look funny.
13. Never use the “topping” approach. This pruning style is ill advised but still used.  It promotes poor branching structure, weak crotches, and results in more damage from wind and storms than your tree would normally have.

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