do, both on the ground and in the tree where Introduc�on youwill probably see a jagged limb remnant. Generally speaking, there are two types of Whiletakingcareofthathighremnantmay “pruners”: Folks who stand in front of a shrub beajobbe�ersuitedforprofessionaltree or tree not knowing where to begin and the trimmers, pruning your shorter shrubs and others wholookatthetree,getouttheir dwarfornamentaltreescanbeasa�sfying loppers and prune plants with abandon. For a task that results in a �dy garden free of debris beginner, the task can seem overwhelming – andwelcomingtowalkthrough. butif you focus on following the 3 main principles of pruning, you will get beau�ful Plant Health as a Primary Reason to Prune results. Whenyoulookcloselyatyourshruborsmall tree, do you happen to see branches rubbing These3principles, as outlined in The Pruning against each other? Are some perhaps dead BookbyLeeReich,arethefollowing: or broken? Are some tree branches forming � Well-reasoned(whyyouarepruning) anacuteanglewiththetreetrunk?Unless � Well-�med(thebest�metoprune) youhaveaWeepingCherryoraWeeping � Well-made(howtomakecleancuts) Willow, branches that sag or grow close to the groundwillneedtobepruned. Readontodiscovermoreabouteachofthese principles and to build your confidence before Whenbranchesofwoodyplantsrubagainst venturing out to tackle your landscape! eachother,theouterlayerofbarkisscraped off, causing wounds to the tree. This creates WhyShouldYouPrune? openareasfordiseasepathogenstoenter.If Walkingthroughthewoodsyouobviouslywill theshrubisatangleofbrancheswithli�leair notseeanygardenershelpingnatureoutwith flow or sunlight, this creates the perfect home hertrees. This is because pruning can for pathogenic microbes. o�en�mesbeanaturaloccurrence.Ifyoufind yourself walking over a fallen branch one day, Plants can’t grow without their try looking up and you just might see where thebranchcamefrom,andifthetreetruly leaves for photosynthesis so neededitornot.Diseasedorinsect-infested when you remove the leaves brancheswill some�mesbeshednaturallyby and new shoots from the shrub thetree, as well as the li�le s�cks and twigs stubs the roots will slowly die. that li�er the forest floor. This is simply nature doingherjob,discardingwhatshenolonger needstogrowstrongerandhealthierasa Correct Size and Shape for the Space result. O�enwhenyoubuyahomewherethe landscaping has not been tended to for a It is important to do the same thing with your while, you may no�ce someshrubsge�ng ownlandscape.A�erastrongwindstorm, tootall or wide for the space. Before you start nature will have done a lot of work for you in pruning, you should first evaluate if you want thebigshadetrees,butperhapsnotinways to keep the shrub to begin with. youwouldhaveintended.Thereiscleanupto 33