Pruning Trees, Shrubs, and Roses

Before lopping even the smallest branch off your apple tree, you should know a few basics. Find out how to make nothing but the kindest cuts

Ellen Silverman

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Why Prune

To prevent the spread of disease and protect plants from pests, which can enter trees and shrubs at the points where branches break or rub together.

To improve appearance or maintain size and shape.

When to Prune

Shape spring-flowering trees and shrubs soon after they bloom.

Prune summer and late-flowering shrubs anytime from very late fall until just before growth begins in early spring.

Throughout the year, remove dead and broken branches and those that scrape against one another. To determine if a branch is alive, gently scrape the bark with your pruners to reveal the color beneath. Green or white means it’s alive; brown or black means it’s dead. Trim dead branches about six inches into live growth.

How to Prune

Make angled cuts sloping away from lateral buds (the smaller stems and leaves that sprout along a branch or a twig).

Position the pruners about a quarter of an inch beyond a bud, toward the tip of the branch.

For thornier subjects, check out The Pruning Book, by Lee Reich (Taunton, $20, www.amazon.com), which has detailed chapters on pruning roses, shaping shrubs, and caring for fruit trees.

Product: The new 25-inch Easy Reach Pruner by Fiskars (shown) makes it a cinch to prune overhead branches or tall shrubs without a ladder.
To Buy: $35, www.fiskars.com.