Pruning Principles 2009 - Corona Tools

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Chapter 2 The cardinal rule is to prune back to a branch or a bud, or you will leave a stub that will die back and cause decay and disease. Make pruning cuts no more than 1/4-inch above a bud or side branch. Pruning Methods Shown: Heavy-Duty Bypass Pruner BP 3180 Under normal conditions, terminal buds grow faster than lateral ones by producing a chemical that retards the growth of lateral buds. Terminal-bud dominance varies according to the age and species of the plant. It is strong in most trees, especially young ones. It is relatively weak in shrubs, particularly those that are bushy. Correct Not Enough Slant Too Close to Bud Illustration 2.4, Angle all pruning cuts at about 45 degrees, tilted in the direction the bud is pointing. A slanting cut leaves less stub and dries faster after a rain. Note: Bud Location Illustration 2.2, If you cut away the terminal bud from a stem, the lateral buds below it will grow faster, and the stem will become more bushy. Pruning Cuts Pruning is the removal of older twigs and branches that have begun to harden and become woody. Unlike shearing, which is done during the growing season, pruning is usually done while the plant is dormant, that is, not actively growing. Illustration 2.3, When making pruning cuts you are removing undesirable growth with an eye to encouraging beneficial future 4 Above a Branch Back to Main Branch Above a Bud Illustration 2.5, Deciding which bud to cut back to is the key to successful pruning. Trees and shrubs have buds all along their branches, some pointing toward the center of the plant, others pointing out. Cut just above an outside bud. The resulting twig or limb will tend to grow outward and upward, for a healthy, attractive, spreading growth habit. If you cut to an inward, pointing bud, the limb may cross other branches and contribute to dense, tangled growth and a lack of air circulation and sunlight at the center of the plant. Shearing When you shear a hedge, you are removing all of its new terminal buds, thereby encouraging vigorous lateral growth for a dense, bushy hedge. At the same time you are keeping the hedge from growing too high. Shearing is usually restricted to removing soft, first-year growth that is easy to cut. It is best to shear shortly after new growth begins in spring so that the lateral buds will have all season to grow and make the hedge bushy. If you make the common mistake of waiting until the end of the growing season, your hedge will not get bushy.You will also end up with unsightly brown tips, because no new growth will cover them. 5
Chapter 3 Chapter 4 When to Prune Shade Trees Shown: Razor Tooth Raker Saw RS 7160 The best time to prune depends on many variables. In deciding when to prune you must consider: the condition of the plant, the length of its growing season, when it blooms, and whether its flower buds form on new growth or only on older wood. Late Winter This is the best time to prune many plants, including fruit trees, certain roses, broad-leafed evergreens, vines, and some flowering plants. What is late winter in your area It is when the days have begun to lengthen and warm noticeably. In many regions late winter means mid-February, in others mid-March. Much later than that is usually too late; plants are no longer dormant. Drastic pruning of a neglected plant in late winter can cause overly vigorous growth of leaves and wood at the expense of flowers and fruit. Either postpone such pruning until spring or spread it out over several seasons. Spring Remove any wood damaged by winter wind, ice, or snow. Remember, prune back to a healthy bud or limb. Repair damage from animals. Early Summer Time to shear evergreens and hedges. This is when they are putting on their greatest growth. This is also the time to prune all early-blooming shrubs after the last flowers fade. Late Summer This is a good time to prune certain shade trees, such as maples and birches, that lose too much sap if pruned in spring. Some orchardists prefer to prune fruit trees now, since summer pruning encourages trees to set more flower and fruit buds and fewer leaf and branch buds. In the Deep South, however, late-summer pruning of fruit trees is unacceptable since it encourages a spurt of growth late in the season that would be at risk of cold injury. Autumn In all but the most northern regions this is a good time to prune roses, clematis, hydrangea, buddleia, crape myrtle, potentilla, hibiscus, grape vines, and the small-berry fruits. However, in Florida and other Sunbelt regions, the best pruning times for these ornamental shrubs vary. Consult local authorities. 6 Atree’s first few years are critical. Pruning then has a profound effect on the ultimate size, shape, and health of the mature tree. Pruning when Planting When planting a young tree, prune to achieve balance between the roots and the stem. Shade trees are usually sold balled and burlapped, that is, with most of their roots intact and surrounded by soil. Such trees need little pruning when planted. Simply remove any twiggy growth that won’t be part of the tree’s framework of branches. Container-grown trees need almost no pruning, since none of their roots have been removed. Prune only to remove dead or broken branches. Plants that have been too long in the container can form circling roots. Prune them; if left, they could become girdling roots. Bare-root trees (in which many of the roots have been removed or damaged), may require some pruning when planted, but the old practice of removing up to one third of the stem and half of each branch has been seriously questioned. Instead, prune any broken branches or roots before planting. You may want to cut back the main stem of an especially spindly bare-root plant to encourage branching. Illustration 4.1, Prune young shade trees to establish branch patterns that preserve the natural habit of the tree. Certain trees – pin-oaks, birches, poplars, and the like – form a single central trunk with clearly subsidiary side branches. Any tendency of such trees to produce more than one leader calls for removal of the weaker ones. 7
Page 2 and 3: The Principles of Pruning Proper pr
Page 6 and 7: Mature Trees Mature trees that have
Page 8 and 9: Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Broadleafed Eve
Page 10 and 11: Illustration 10.1, Make sure to cut
Page 12 and 13: Chapter 11 Pruning Fruit Trees Show
Page 14 and 15: New canes sprouting from the ground
Page 16 and 17: Capítulo 2 Métodos de Podar Mostr
Page 18 and 19: Arboles Maduros Los árboles maduro
Page 20 and 21: Capítulo 7 Capítulo 8 Perennes de
Page 22 and 23: Podando al plantar Si compra un arb
Page 24 and 25: 44 Capítulo 11 Podando Árboles Fr
Page 26 and 27: 48 Capítul0 12 Pequeñas Frutas Ba
Page 28: PRUNING SAW (cont.) SIERRAS DE PODA

Pruning Principles 2009 - Corona Tools

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