Picture Perfect Pruning- the How-To’S

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION Picture Perfect Pruning- The How-To’s

Erik Draper, Commercial Horticulture, Ohio State University Extension, Geauga County Things to Accomplish:

• Gotta’ Know Plants • Who Should Prune • Tools for Training or Torture • When to Prune • Plant Anatomy and Physiology • Where to Start • “1/3 rules” of Pruning • Terror of Topping Great Time to Look at Tree Silhouettes Great Time to Look at Tree Silhouettes Great Time to Look at Tree Silhouettes Know thy Plants… Know thy Plants… Who Should Prune?

• Likes plants • Understand space between branches • Understand light penetration • Understand plant growth • See the future Tools for Training

• Hand Shears

• Secateurs

Tools for Training

• Hand Shears • Secateurs • Scissors type • By-pass blades only • Loppers

Tools for Training

• Hand Shears • Secateurs • Scissors type • By-pass blades only • Loppers • Saw

Helpful Items

• Metal File • Can of lightweight machine oil

Criteria for Good Tools

• Good Quality Steel • Replaceable Blade • Thin Blade • Bevel to Cutting Edge • Return Spring • Nice Hand Fit • Easy Pull • Take Out for Test • Worth the Cost Results of Sharp Tools

• Precise cut • Clean wounds • Heal faster

Tools for Torture

• Anvil Pruners • Pinch Blades

Tools for Torture

• Ratchet-type • Ratchet-anvil Pruner’s Tool Disaster…

• Blade stops by… • Anvil is soft metal • Metal to metal • Blade dulls quickly • Inexpensive • Teflon- Smooth Cuts Results of Plant Torture

• Crush rather than cut • Damage tissue • Ragged wounds • Longer to heal Best Time to Prune is…

• WINTER – No insects – No diseases – See tree form • Anytime for tree health but.. • Spring Leakage

Three Great Reasons to Prune

• To train/guide growth creating structural strength • To maintain plant health • To improve quality and quantity of flowers, fruit and foliage Three Failures of Pruning

• FAIL to change genetic traits • FAIL to correct plant spacing problems • FAIL to slow plant growth PRUNING STIMULATES… Sunlight influences plant growth…

Which canopy type/form is best for harvesting the most sunlight? Sunlight influences plant growth…

Pruning influences the amount of sunlight available to the plant. Branch Growth Controlled By… • Pruning • Sunlight • Genetics • Available nutrients & water • Tree health • Number & condition of leaves • Terminal or apical bud Branch Growth Controlled By… • Pruning • Sunlight • Genetics • Available nutrients & water • Tree health • Number & condition of leaves • Terminal or apical bud Apical Bud=Apical Dominance

• Hormone based- Auxins vs Cytokinins • Bud inhibition range- species dependent Apical Bud=Apical Dominance

• Hormone based- Auxins vs Cytokinins • Bud inhibition range- species dependent • Removal causes a “free-for-all” Apical Bud=Apical Dominance

• Hormone based- Auxins vs Cytokinins • Bud inhibition range- species dependent • Removal causes a “free-for-all” • Dominance is good Apical Bud=Apical Dominance

• Hormone based- Auxins vs Cytokinins • Bud inhibition range- species dependent • Removal causes a “free-for-all” • Dominance is good • Some trees weird Ideal Branch Crotch Angle

• 30-65 degrees is acceptable range • No parallel branches • < 15 degrees watersprouts galore • > 70 degrees weak attachment Ideal Branch Crotch Angle

• 30-65 degrees is acceptable range • No parallel branches • < 15 degrees watersprouts galore • > 70 degrees weak attachment Exceptions to Branch Crotch Angles…

• Fastigiate or Upright tree forms • Genetics forms narrow crotch angles • Avoid multiple branches at a node • Weeping tree forms • Remove totally non- typical branches Exceptions to Branch Crotch Angles…

• Fastigiate or Upright tree forms • Genetics forms narrow crotch angles • Avoid multiple branches at a node • Weeping tree forms • Remove totally non- typical branches

Branch Attachment per Node

• 4+ attachment- very weak Branch Attachment per Node

• 4+ attachment- very weak • 3-in-1 attachment- alright but still weak

Branch Attachment per Node

• 4+ attachment- very weak • 3-in-1 attachment- alright but still weak • Opposite attachment- better • ¼ Turn and step up- strongest & best

Proper Cuts… No Stubs

• Always slight angle • To shed water • Not too close- always tissue death • Too far away- excess dieback

On the Edge… Branch Collar On the Edge… Branch Collar On the Edge… Branch Collar Right or Wrong… Right or Wrong… Right or Wrong… Where to Start Pruning…

5 D’s of Pruning • Dead • Diseased • Damaged • Defective • Dumb Mistakes DEAD

• Common on interior as tree matures • Natural attrition from stress • Insects • Critters DEAD

• Common on interior as tree matures • Natural attrition from stress • Insects • Critters DISEASED

• Fireblight DISEASED

• Fireblight • Botryosphaeria DISEASED

• Fireblight • Botryosphaeria • Verticillium Wilt DISEASED

• Fireblight • Botryosphaeria • Verticillium Wilt • Cytospora canker of Spruce • Cut into sound wood DAMAGED

• Flood

DAMAGED • Flood • Wind shear DAMAGED

• Flood • Wind shear • Snow DAMAGED

• Flood • Wind shear • Snow • Ice DAMAGED

• Flood • Wind shear • Snow • Ice DAMAGED • Flood • Wind shear • Snow • Ice DEFECTIVE • Co-dominant leaders DEFECTIVE

• Co-dominant leaders DEFECTIVE

• Co-dominant leaders • Too many branches

DEFECTIVE

• Co-dominant leaders • Too many branches • Runting Out DEFECTIVE • Co-dominant leaders • Too many branches • Runting Out DEFECTIVE

• Co-dominant leaders • Too many branches • Runting Out • Narrow Crotch Angle

DUMB MISTAKES

• Tipping = witches’ broom DUMB MISTAKES

• Tipping = witches’ broom • Eye Gougers DUMB MISTAKES

• Tipping = witches’ broom • Eye Gougers • Stubs DUMB MISTAKES

• Tipping = witches’ broom • Eye Gougers • Stubs • Flush cut DUMB MISTAKES

• Tipping = witches’ broom • Eye Gougers • Stubs • Flush cut • Real confusion “1/3 RULES” of Pruning

• Don’t remove more wood than… • Trees can lose how much leaf canopy… • Branch to trunk diameter ratio is… • To slow vigorous branches, cut off… • Little branch on a big cut must be… • The number of people who will never understand how to properly prune…. Rejuvenation Pruning Rejuvenation Pruning Branch to Trunk Diameter Ratio Little Branch on a Big Cut Little Branch on a Big Cut Ideal Look

• Nice spacing • Symmetry • Balance top-bottom • Strong central leader • Branch attachment & angle • Branch diameter to trunk ratio Ideal Look

• Nice spacing • Symmetry • Balance top-bottom • Strong central leader • Branch attachment & angle • Branch diameter to trunk ratio Multi-Stem Madness

• No crossing trunks • No doubles Multi-Stem Madness

• No crossing trunks • No doubles • Space between trunks Weeping Form Pruning

• No tipping • Work from bottom up

Weeping Form Pruning

• No tipping • Work from bottom up • Start underneath the canopy Weeping Form Pruning

• No tipping • Work from bottom up • Start underneath the canopy • Keep watersprouts off rootstock • Crossing branches • Remove all branch anomalies Weeping Form Pruning

• No tipping • Work from bottom up • Start underneath the canopy • Keep watersprouts off rootstock • Crossing branches • Remove all branch anomalies LIMBING UP LIMITS

• How high-cars or people • Variable- sidewalk or tree lawn • Convenience - walkers, equipment • Young or old tree • Removing leaves • Carb Factories • Carb Investment Specialty Cuts

• Pollarding • Espalier Specialty Cuts

• Pollarding • Espalier Terror of Topping Terror of Topping Pruning Paint • Before… To cover bad cuts? Never • Typically no need • Unless… Oak Wilt • June to mid-July • Any wound on oaks SPACE… The final Frontier

• Space between branch nodes or whorls (trunk) • No branch over branch stacking • Space between individual branches • Space for growth & light penetration into the canopy • If spacing not right… then what • Whip it good… the branch! • Nub on branch collar direct- (fruit) • Feathered trees-existing branch PRUNING RESOURCES PRUNING RESOURCES PRUNING RESOURCES