GENERAL PRUNING TIPS

• Hedges
• Roses
• Evergreens
• Shrubs and Vines
• Fruit Trees
• Grapes and Berries
• Shade and Ornamental Trees

Hedges are of two general classifications:

1. Shrubs or trees planted close together in a row to form a wind-break or high screen. These should be allowed to retain their natural form and characteristics. Pruning is confined to heading back for density and removal of broken diseased or dead branches.

New Hedges - In planting a hedge, the plants are usually set out close together in two staggered rows. It is a mistake to allow the plants to reach the desired height before pruning.

With newly planted hedges, begin shearing as soon as they start growing noticeably. Even if you want a tall hedge, don’t wait until it gets high to start training. Several trimmings of small amounts of new growth, each time a little higher will allow it to grow larger gradually while becoming a bushier, tighter hedge.

Mature hedges should be trimmed when they are growing the fastest. When to start and how frequently varies by the type of hedge.

Needle Evergreens - like hemlock, grow early in the season and usually need one spring trimming after new growth.

Broadleaf Evergreens - like boxwood, grow throughout the season and may need to be trimmed several times as new growth emerges.

Deciduous Hedge Plants - like privet, grow all season and will need to be trimmed periodically throughout the summer.

The intended use of the hedge determines the shape for trimming. If you are shearing the top flat, be careful to taper the sides in slightly at the top. Hedges that are wider at the top look top heavy and shade the lower branches causing them to thin and die. Hedge A will be healthier than B or C. Where snow loads are heavy, you may want to round the top, D.

For a level, even hedge top use a guide string stretched between stakes the length of the hedge, just below the height you want the hedge. Trim the hedge just above this guideline. Then trim the sides starting at the bottom and sweeping up. Be sure to taper in at the top for the fullest, most uniform growth.

Old Hedges - To rejuvenate an old neglected and “leggy” hedge, cut back to a few inches above the ground in the early spring and then prune like a new planting. This works best with deciduous hedges but is also possible with some evergreen hedges if you leave a few branches with leaves on the plant.

ROSES

Authorities do not agree on any one rule for rose pruning except that all roses should be kept young by cutting back old nonproductive canes.

Most roses bloom on wood that is not more than two years old. The roots may be old but the foliage above ground should be kept young.

Pruning opens the plant up so that light reaches the inside branches and “bud union” at the base of the plant. More and healthier branches are produced if the bud union gets plenty of sunlight.

Roses generally bloom in summer but should be pruned late winter/early spring just as the buds appear. This can vary from late January to March depending on the area of the country you are in. Prune too early and you will cause early growth that is vulnerable to frost damage. Prune too late and you will waste energy the plant already put into making the buds and leaves you remove. The best time is after the last frost when buds are beginning to swell.

ROSE PRUNING

Easy cutting, quality garden shears and heavy garden gloves are a must because most roses have very sharp thorns.

First prune out any dead, diseased or frost damaged canes. Dead wood looks brown and is dry inside when cut. Prune all canes back to wood that is living as seen by the green outside color and creamy white inside.

Remove any canes that cross by cutting off at the center of the plant. A vase shape is the ideal for most rose bushes and allows light to get to the bud union.

Old canes should be cut back to where young, green wood is showing. A dead cane that is brown or black from top to bottom should be removed at the bud union. Cut back to an outward facing bud and leave no stubs. Make the cut 1/4 inch above a bud facing outward. Trim back to three to six canes around the bud union.

The canes should be trimmed to no more than 30 inches high on a mature shrub, unless you want a taller plant. For a few large blossoms, remove more canes and cut the remaining ones lower. If you want more, smaller blossoms, prune lightly.

Not all roses are pruned the same. Here are some general guidelines for several popular types.

Teas and Hybrid Teas - Bloom on new wood each year. Consequently, all old wood should be removed each spring, back to 5 or 6 inches above the winter soil mound.

Hybrid Perpetual - Blooms on new shoots from the previous year’s stems. Prune when used as a bedding plant, 10 to 15 inches in the spring.

Floribundas and Polyanthas - Bush roses producing clusters of blooms from early summer to late frost. They should be pruned lightly, thinning out all dead and surplus wood in the late fall.

Ramblers - Small-flowered climbers bloom on one year old wood. Canes that have flowered should be removed. The current year’s young canes produced from the base should be saved and trained to bloom the following season.

Climbing Roses - Large flowering type bloom on older canes, it is not advisable to remove all the canes that have flowered. Side shoots which have flowered can be cut back and all worn out canes removed.

Flower Cutting - Pruning principles should be kept in mind when picking roses to encourage additional flower production. The stem should be cut just above the second leaf joint, leaving only two groups of leaves below the cut on each branch. New growth will start from these leaf joints. Carefully spaced pruning when picking stimulates flower production.

EVERGREENS

Conifers - such as firs, balsam, spruce and pine trees should not be severely pruned or sheared. New growth is rarely produced from mature wood. To thicken the growth, prune the center tip of the side branches. Pruning should be done during the late winter and again in early summer, after new growth has been established. For hedges and screens, the trees can be topped to induce thickening and denseness. Small evergreens in foundation plantings can be controlled by shearing the end buds and leaders. The softer foliaged evergreens such as yews, aborvitae, junipers and retimosporas adapt to shearing to a smooth surface and various forms but are usually pruned in a natural form.

Broad Leaved Evergreen - shrubs such as rhododendron and laurel need little pruning except to preserve the natural shape of the plant and remove all dead and broken branches. Clip off old flowers back to an axil bud. Young plants should be clipped occasionally to encourage sturdy growth. Old overgrown plants of some varieties can be cut back severely in early spring. In cold climates, spread major pruning over several years, removing a third of the stems each year.

SHRUBS AND VINES

Flowering shrubs are planted for their colorful bloom and usually require little pruning. Winter injury or long neglect may require a major thinning out. It is best to prune the oldest and poorest branches back to the ground and shorten the others to reasonable lengths to keep the plant from becoming leggy or straggly. They are most beautiful when allowed to take their natural forms.

Some shrubs like lilac and honeysuckle benefit from occasional drastic pruning. Lilacs should be pruned after flowering. Unless kept in control they have the tendency to grow too tall and become leggy. The oldest, thickest branches on an uncared for lilac should be cut nearly to the ground to start an entirely new plant.

When to Prune Flowering Shrubs - depends on whether it flowers on branches that are produced in the current season or on branches that grew during the previous year. If you do not know for sure there is no fool proof way to tell by looking if a plant blooms on old or new wood. Often plants that bloom early have flowers on last year’s branches and those that flower later, bloom on new branches. Look for additional information on the specific shrub variety.

Old-Branch Flowering Shrubs - should be pruned right after the flowers fade. Do not prune in winter or spring, you will cut away flower buds. Prune immediately after they flower, so they have time to develop a new set of buds to flower the following spring. Examples are beautybush, aternifolia, forsythia, honeysuckle, lilac, magnolia and azaleas.

After old-branch flowering shrubs have borne flowers, cut back those old shoots leaving vigorous young shoots lower down on the main stems. Remove new shoots only if they spoil the shape of the plant. On shrubs three or more years old, begin to remove some of the oldest branches at the base of the plant leaving room for new shoots to become major branches.

New-Branch Flowering Shrubs - may be pruned when dormant in late winter or early spring before the buds become green. Some examples are Crape Myrtle, Spreading Euonymus, Hibiscus Syriacus, Hydrangea Paniculata, Potentilla, Witch Hazel and some spireas like S. Japonica.

Shrubs that flower on new branches should be left alone to form strong central branches in their first several years. After a couple of years, annually prune back new shoots to the last one or two buds of last year’s growth. This encourages a fuller, thicker bush as it matures. Eventually, you may want to remove some older branches at their base to encourage continued new growth.

Vines - Since the purpose of woody vines is usually to drape or screen objects, it is desirable to prune them only to induce new growth at the base. Dead wood should be cut out at any time and precocious shoots should be kept within bounds. Other than this, the less shears are used, the better.

Most flowering vines bloom on wood formed the previous year, so try to do any minor pruning after flowering. However, if you plan drastic pruning, wait until the vines are dormant to prune.

FRUIT TREES

If dependable, annual crops of large juicy fruit are what you want from your fruit trees, then pruning as they grow and annual maintenance pruning is a must. Unpruned trees often produce only occasional crops of smaller, inferior quality fruit. Pruning to develop strong, well spaced branches, that can handle heavy loads of ripe fruit is critical.

When fruit trees are purchased as two-year old bare root whips, they should be pruned. At planting, cut the main whip stem back by up to one third at a fat bud and prune side branches until you have removed about a third of the total wood. Also, trim away any broken or damaged roots. This will help balance the branch structure with the remaining roots and get your tree off to a healthier start. If you buy a fruit tree with the roots balled in burlap, less pruning is needed since more roots remain. Should the tree be container grown, prune for shape and form only. Always remove damaged branches on any new tree.

Second and third year pruning determines shape and prevents development of bad crotches. Pruning of fruit trees is best done during the dormant period. Summer pruning, except for the removal of water sprouts or “suckers”, tends to weaken the trees. The first year the height of the lowest branches should be established by cutting off ones that grow lower down on the trunk than desired. The remaining side limbs may be shortened but retained, if well distributed. No more than two should be left that arise near any one point on the trunk because of the danger of crowding and splitting later on.

After the second year, attention should be directed to shaping the tree and the removal of growth that crowds, competes with or injures the main limbs of the tree.

As fruit trees grow older more pruning may be needed to keep the branches well balanced. This kind of pruning will be thinning out.

Fruit trees are usually pruned according to one of three generally recognized forms. Each is created by pruning different groups of main and side branches into different patterns of growth best suited to specific purposes.

Central Leader - Apples and pears, which bear heavy fruit, are often trained to form a central leader. This system encourages one main trunk with strong side branches. Maintain open space between limbs and thin secondary branches to allow sunlight and air to reach the center of the tree. As the trees age, it is possible to switch to a modified central leader training which requires less annual pruning. In orchards, these trees are sometimes pruned to a lower and wider modified leader form from the start. Much depends on how you want the tree to look in your yard.

Modified Leader - Begin pruning the same way as the central leader form with one strong central trunk. In the second or third year allow more than one strong branch to grow forming several leaders. The modified leader system may be easier to maintain since many fruit trees tend to grow this way naturally. It is recommended for cherries and plums.

Open Vase - This method opens up the center of the tree to let light and air in but can create weaker branches and is not recommended for apples and pears. It works well for peaches, nectarines and apricots. Avoid several limbs growing from nearly the same point on the trunk or weak crotches will result. Space the principal limbs out over as much area of the trunk as possible.

A fruit tree often sets more fruit in the spring than it can easily handle. If you want large high quality fruit then you must thin groups of young fruit to a single fruit. This should be done while the fruit is still small. Space the fruit an average of 6 inches apart. Thinning is time consuming but helps considerably if you want quality, larger fruit.

Fruit trees bear fruit on either one year old limbs or on stubby growths between branches called spurs.

Pears, plums and cherries produce fruit on spurs. Peaches on one year old limbs and apples on both. Limb-bearing fruit trees produce more new limbs each year. Some of the older limbs that bore last year’s fruit should be pruned off. Peach, nectarine and apricot trees will produce more on new limbs near the top of the tree. Keep them pruned down so you can reach the fruit.

Trees that bear fruit on spurs produce fewer new limbs and can be kept in shape with less pruning. It is still a good idea to thin them regularly and remove some three year or older spurs to encourage growth or new spurs.

Citrus fruit trees should not be pruned until all danger of frost has passed. Citrus trees lose productivity as they age but in areas without frigid winters, they can withstand severe rejuvenation pruning. After such pruning be prepared to wait two to three years for good fruit production to resume. If in a colder climate area, spread drastic pruning out over several years.

GRAPES AND BERRIES

Few other plants respond to pruning more than grape vines. Pruning should be done while the vines are dormant usually in late winter. As fruit is borne near the base of the current season’s shoots, it is necessary to maintain an annual supply of one-year-old wood from which fruit bearing shoots will develop.

Grapes will grow most anywhere in good, well drained soil. The vines can be trained to any one of a number of different systems involving an arbor or trellis. The four-cane Kniffen system is preferred by many growers for production and ease of maintenance and is adaptable to the home garden. The supports consist of two horizontal wires - the lower about 30” and the upper 60” from the ground.

The young plants when set out should be cut back to one vigorous cane of two or three buds. It is advisable to stake the cane to keep it upright and straight since it is to become the main trunk to the top wire.

The third year all side shoots that have developed on the main trunk should come off except two near the upper wire and two near the lower wire. These should be cut back to 3 or 4 buds each and tied to the support wires. They will form a double T shape. Each season thereafter the vine is pruned back to these four canes and each cane should be cut to 8 or 10 buds from which the season’s new growth will be made.

An old neglected grape vine may be cut to the ground and a new trunk started from one of the new shoots. This will mean the sacrifice of a year’s crop but it is worthwhile.

Strawberries - The plants usually come ready to plant without further pruning. During the first season remove all blossoms throwing the strength of the plants into a vigorous root structure. Established plants will send out runners. For extra large quality berries remove all runners before they root. For larger yields allow four to five runners from each plant to develop a “matted row” not over two feet wide. Cut back any runners that have a tendency to go over the row boundaries. Berries are harvested the second and third years. After that, the bed runs out and should be plowed under and replaced by a new planting in a different location.

Raspberries, Blackberries and Blueberries - They bear fruit on canes that grew the preceding year. Any cane having borne fruit becomes barren and should be pruned at its base. Bushes can be pruned while dormant. Side branches should be encouraged by pinching out of new canes that have reached a height of 3 feet. Side branches should have a spring pruning to about a foot and a half.

SHADE AND ORNAMENTAL TREES

Shade trees should be pruned and cared for much the same as fruit trees.

Pruning at Planting - Trees with the roots balled and wrapped in burlap or plastic need little pruning when planted. Remove any crossing branches or growth that will not be part of the tree’s framework. Container grown trees usually need no pruning. Remove any dead or broken branches. Bare-root trees usually require some pruning to eliminate any broken roots before planting. You may want to cut back the main stem to encourage branching and balance branches with the remaining roots.

Young shade trees should be trained in the same branch patterns as fruit trees while preserving the natural habits of that tree. Pin oaks, birches, poplars and similar types usually grow a single central leader with well defined side branches. If they form more than one leader, remove the weaker ones. Remove branches that form a deep V-shaped crotch because they are vulnerable to wind damage, breakage and rotting. Wide crotch angles are stronger. As with fruit trees, central leader or modified central leader forms make the strongest trees.

Mature shade trees are best left alone except for the removal of dead, injured or diseased limbs. Thin out branches if they become too dense.

Outside of emergency operations, it is not wise to prune shade trees during the period when sap is flowing. Some trees such as birches, elms and maples bleed freely when pruned during this period. Prune trees of this type as well as willows, oak, ashes and sycamores in summer after leaves have developed.

Ornamental trees grow in the same manner and shapes as shade trees. Once mature they should need only maintenance pruning. Follow the same rules for pruning at planting time as with fruit or shade trees. Usually flowering trees are trained in the central leader form. The best time to prune most flowering trees is just after the blossoms fade. If they are a type with colorful berries, you want to leave on the tree, prune in late winter. Avoid letting them ramble and grow like shrubs instead of trees.