Have a clear purpose in mind when you prune a plant. Think about what you want to do to the tree or shrub you’re pruning. Most deciduous pruning should promote a natural style, which means that low-branching trees are not limbed up, tall shrubs are not sheared or topped to make them shorter, and the natural outline of a plant is maintained. The goal is to highlight the plant’s natural features, and, ironically, if you do it well, it looks like you didn’t do anything at all.

Remove undesirable branches. First, remove all dead or diseased wood, regardless of where it is on the plant. Next, remove all suckers and water sprouts. Suckers are straight, unbranched stems that sprout from the base of a tree. Water sprouts are similar stems, but grow at right angles to the branches. Neither suckers nor water sprouts will develop into natural-looking, well-branched limbs.

Next, remove crossing or rubbing branches. Start with the largest branches and move progressively to the smallest. There may be cases when you break this rule; for example, leave a large crossing limb that would disfigure the tree if removed. If trees were properly pruned when they were young, you would never have to face this type of situation.

Thin the canopy. Starting at the center and moving to the exterior, thin the branches that make up the dense mass of a tree or shrub. Your purpose is to increase air circulation through the branches and to accentuate the structure of the plant. Never remove more than one-quarter of a plant in a season since that will encourage sucker growth. Thinning is especially important for trees such as crabapples and hawthorns, which are susceptible to fungal diseases.

Work slowly, taking plenty of breaks to step back and look. Is the tree balanced? Does it look symmetrical? Know when to stop; you don’t want to hollow out the center. You can always go back and take more off, but you can’t put it back on.

Always prune back to a bud or a branch. Never leave a stub or the kind of open ends that result from shearing off the top of a plant. Open ends can create dense horizontal sucker-type growth that ruins the natural branching habit, or they can cause dieback and disease. Cut an undesirable branch just above a bud, keeping in mind that a new branch will grow from that bud. Ideally, the bud should face outward, so the branch will grow toward the exterior of the plant.

Keep in mind that having trees on your property comes with a little bit of maintenance. With just a little maintenance, you can prevent most major pitfalls. You won’t have to be worried about trees causing property damage or even worse, personal injury. We look forward to discussing your tree maintenance needs. We have trained arborists in the Tri-Cities that are professional and that can answer any questions you have.

Pruning your tree before and during winter can be very beneficial to your tree.

Pruning in winter—during the dormant season—invigorates many trees and shrubs because it leaves the plants with extra root and energy reserves that will support new growth on the remaining branches. Dormant-season pruning is good for you, too, because you can see the branches more clearly without leaves in the way. And it gives you a reason to go outside on mild winter days. Here is a partial list of shrubs and trees you can prune from winter until the long days of spring start sap flowing again. You’ll also find here a short list of trees not to prune during winter.

• Here are trees that you are able to prune during the winter:
• Bradford and Callory pears
• Crabapples
• Poplar
• Spruce
• Junipers
• Sumacs
• Bald cypress
• Cherries
• Plums
• Honey locust

Here are some trees that you should not trim in the winter because some trees “bleed” or ooze sap when pruned in late winter or early spring. While oozing sap is not dangerous to the tree, it can make a sticky, dirty mess, especially on parked cars. Prune these trees in summer or fall:

• Maples
• Birches
• Dogwoods
• Walnuts
• Elms

Keep in mind that having trees on your property comes with a little bit of maintenance. With just a little maintenance, you can prevent most major pitfalls. You won’t have to be worried about trees causing property damage or even worse, personal injury. We look forward to discussing your tree maintenance needs. We have trained arborists in the Tri-Cities that are professional and that can answer any questions you have.