Pruning Your Landscaping and Fruit Trees

 Knowing the right time to prune landscape 
trees and fruit trees is a key part of your yearly landscape maintenance. Late winter, at the end of the dormant season is generally the best time to prune most trees and shrubs. When pruning takes place between February and early April, the wounds on the plants are only open for a short time before new growth occurs and begins to seal them. On deciduous plants, it is also easier to see the shape of the branches when they have no leaves. 

While dormant season is the best time for

 pruning most plants, early blooming trees 

 and shrubs, such as ornamental plum, lilac, witch hazel, or cherry, should never be pruned in the dormant season. Instead they should be pruned as soon as they are done blooming in order to promote the new growth that will produce blossoms the following year.

Using the proper equipment is very important when pruning so you don't damage to your plants. Hand pruners are for making cuts up to 3/4 inch in diameter - bypass not anvil shears. Lopping shears are great for cuts of 3/4 to 1 inch. Larger branches should be removed using a hand saw or a chainsaw. 

Be sure to clean your tools often and consider cleaning after each cut to ensure that you aren't passing a possible infection from one tree to the next. Making sure that your blades are sharp will ensure that your cuts are clean and any damage to the tree is minimal. These small things will keep your trees healthier and your job easier. 

Pruning all of the trees in your landscape should not be a scary task. With some instruction, a little patience and a willingness to prune year after year, you can keep your trees healthy and and your fruit trees producing. It is important to follow the guidelines for the particular cultivar. When you start pruning, step back and look at your tree and visualize what the end product may look like. Start with the dead, dying, diseased, and crossed branches. When they are out of the way, you will have a better picture of the starting point of trimming and pruning your fruit trees.

There is a plethora of instruction documents and videos available online and, of course, you can go to your local Extension Office and ask them for help. 

Happy pruning!