Pruning Your Trees Regularly Will Improve Their Shape and Growth

By Roy Hardiment

To keep your garden trees looking good, most varieties will need to be pruned regularly.

Trees respond 1000% the following season not only with sturdy growth but a better crop of fruit and more flowers.

The lack of annual pruning causes flowering and fruit trees to produce small fruit and a poor show of flowers.

Pruned trees are stronger and their branches are less likely to break making the trees safer so there is less likelihood of a branch falling and causing damage.

Tools you will need are secateurs, knife, saw and gloves.

You should take a good look at the tree and imagine in your mind how you want it to look when you have finished pruning it.

The trees branches form the main shape branching out from the trunk which forms the structure. You will need to leave this central structure and shape the tree around this.

Branches that grow parallel to one another will need thinning by removing the weakest of these branches that cross over each other enabling the others to grow and develop, leaving only thoses branches that improve the overall shape of the tree.

Always cut out branches that are growing inward, toward the center of the tree, these will only clutter up the shape of the tree.

Stand back and check for areas where the branches look crowded and then apply the guidelines to thin out those overgrown areas.

Special tree paint should be used on all large cut branches; this can be obtained from a local garden centre or shop.

After cutting off larger branches you should paint the cut ends with a special tree paint that you can buy from your local garden shop.

The best time to prune trees is during the winter when the trees are in their dormant stage and all the leaves and fruit have gone.

After cutting off the offending branches don’t forget to paint the cut ends.

You will need a container large enough to be able to dip the cutting blades of your pruning tools into a solution of household bleach, as the sap from the cuts can carry disease and this will be passed onto you healthy trees if you dont take precautions.

You should find a “collar” at the base of the branches, this should be left behind when you have cut off the branch so as to allow the cut too heal over naturally.

If you have trees that you rely on to provide shade during the summer, you can thin these out to maintain their shape, but be careful not to lower their height too much or you will reduce the shade you require.

If you have fruit trees in your garden it is always best before you start pruning trees to collect all the fallen leaves and old fruit that may contain disease and destroy them, giving the three a better start in the spring.

Fred Zellmainoff introducing you to Roy Hardiment who is a professional nurseryman in the UK and a propagationenthusiast. Make sure you check out Roy’s superior eBook on propagationtechniques and sign up for his free Gardening eBook and newsletter.

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