Much of the pruning that you are going to do is going to be based on the location of the various buds that have the ability to grow after the cuts are made, and/or the active cellular area where cell division will seal the wound. The only times that the location for pruning is unimportant is when you are simply shearing a hedge or bush, and perhaps when cosmetically thinning or grooming an already developed topiary or bonsai.
As I explained in Lesson #2, "The Function of Pruning," actively growing terminal buds produce hormones that travel down the stem and retard the growth of lateral stem buds until the time that the terminal shoot has grown enough so that its inhibiting influence further down the shoot has weakened. In the case of latent buds on the stem, which are sometimes only barely visible, encouraging their development usually requires the removal of both terminal and lateral stem tips, and many time these dormant buds may not develop at all.
Cuts
Pinching out the terminal bud on the main shoot or a lateral shoot is the most basic type of pruning, and is used almost exclusively on the soft growth of annuals, perennials and houseplants. This is accomplished with the most basic of tools, your thumb and the first or second digits of your hand. Because I am pinching plants all the time, I allow the nails on my pinching fingers to grow just a tad longer than the other nails on my right hand. If you are concerned about the appearance or strength of your nails, you can still use a pair of small pruners or a pair of scissors instead of your nails to pinch the young tips. Pinching the tips will stop the shoot from growing longer and will promote branching and fuller, bushier growth.
Heading a plant, by cutting off most leading tips, is very similar to shearing and pinching, inducing the lateral buds below the cuts to develop multiple new stems. It has its place when trying to restart neglected half-dead shrubs, to increase flowering wood on roses, to establish a branching cluster in an area on fruit trees or to fill a void area in a tree or shrubs development. You have to be careful not to get lazy by continually heading plants instead of thinning them, or you will destroy the natural desired shape of many landscape plants, or the branch strength of many fruit trees.
Thinning a plant is the preferred pruning method most of the time. It accomplishes most of the good things that we want in yard and orchard maintenance. It allows us to regulate size, direct growth, and eliminate old or tangled branches that are interfering with the plants structure. Pruning to thin a tree or shrub means we are taking the cut branch back to the parent, or junction with the parent branch from which it originated, or many times all the way to ground level. Because thinning or hard pruning is also removing many lateral and latent buds, there is less chance of forcing clusters of new shoots. Thus the overall bulk of the pruned plant will be reduced and the structure of the plant will be reestablished and light and air will pass more freely through the remaining plant, lessening threats of disease and promoting better blooming. When thinning it is important, when cutting to a branch junction, that the caliper of the remaining branch be sufficient so that it assumes the role of the terminal tip and continues growing.
Many times the location of pruning cut as it relates to the remaining branch and buds is important. Most cuts should be at about a 45 degree angle and 1/4 inch from the bud you want to encourage to grow, or 1/2 inch from the junction of the main branch you are cutting back to, but always at an area of active growth. If you have made a clean non-ragged cut, the active growth area will stimulate the cambium cells in the area of the cut to grow inwards and seal off the wound. Leaving a ragged area, or too much stem-stub where no active growth is occurring, leaves the branch or plant open to disease and decay as the long stub shrivels and dies. By keeping you tool blades sharp your cuts should be clean.
For larger branches meeting the main trunk of a tree or meaty shrub, stay back or above the branch ridge and avoid cutting into the branch collar. The ridge is the upper slightly swollen bark area where the branch meets the trunk and the collar is that lower swollen area where the branch you are removing meets the main trunk. Do not cut the branch flush to the trunk. Leaving the collar and ridge allows the plant to best seal itself, and will keep disease and decay from entering the main trunk
For large branches that are still within your capability, but too large to support one handed, it is best to make the cut in three saw passes to avoid ripping or stripping the bark. The first cut should be a one-third through cut from the bottom, 8 to 12 inches away from the main trunk or structure limb. The second cut should be a top cut 1/2 inch farther out on the branch. When you reach the right point, the main part of the limb should fall. (Careful) The finish cut will be made just outside the branch ridge, at an angle so that you do NOT cut the branch bottom collar.
Because you have removed most of the weight with your first two cuts you will be able to hold the final part you are removing as you complete the cut and have a clean removal.
Pruning allows us to regulate size, direct growth, and eliminate old or tangled branches that are interfering with the plants structure. You need to be careful and keep your tool blades sharp and be attentive to your cuts. Cavalier or lazy pruning practices with poorly maintained equipment can damage the natural shape of many landscape plants and orchard trees, potentially leaving them open to disease and insect problems. With proper pruning care, your trees and shrubs will be healthy, safe, and more attractive, with better flowers and/or fruit.
Copyright:Gilbert Foerster/2010
Pruning Basics Lesson #3 - Types of Pruning, Cuts, and How to Make Them
Gilbert Foerster is the owner of http://radicleplants.com/, a company established to sell small quantities of select varieties of difficult to find plants to the enthusiastic hobbyist and collector. Gilbert has been germinating, growing, and shipping seedlings for over thirty five years for http://seed-link.com/, a wholesale seedling company catering to growers requiring large quantities of ornamental and landscape plant seedlings.
Cuts
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