The silhouette of an American elm, Ulmus americana is beautiful and needs no pruning. Photo  Amanda Jarrett
 Pruning Basics - Remove ASAP - What to Do - 3 Step Method - Timing -
What to Remove - Where to Prune - Please don't... - Safety
Pruning Basics
Pruning is to maintain health of trees and shrubs and should not be used to continuously reduce the size of a plant. If constant pruning is necessary, consider removing the plant and replacing with a plant of smaller stature keeping in mind its width and height at maturity. Select the right size of plant for the space.
It is often not necessary to prune all trees and shrubs. If it is flowering well, looks good, isn’t in the way and is doing what it is supposed to do, leave it alone. 
Always remove as soon as possible:
  • dead, dying and diseased plant parts
  • broken branches and ones that cross or rub
  • suckers: shoots that grow vertically upright from the tree base, roots and below the bud union
  • watersprouts: shoots that grow upright along the branches
  • suckers from grafted varieties originating from the rootstocks
rose suckers
Remove suckers that grow from the rootstock of grafted varieties.
suckers, grafted planted, witch-hazel
Remove the green-leaved suckers on this witch-hazel.
Japanese maple, Acer palmatum
A Japanese maple.
bad pruning, topped tree, Japanese maple
A hacked Japanese maple. Know the shape of your plant before pruning.
rose node, node, cut above node, pruning
Cut stems just above a node (bud) on a 45 degree angle to allow water to drain off.
​What to Do:
  • Before pruning, decide what you want to achieve: shape, promote flowers, remove suckers, errant growth etc.
  • On grafted plants, remove suckers that sprout from the rootstock. 
  • Decide which stems should stay and which should go.
  • Know the natural shape of the plant before pruning.
  • Always remove dead, diseased and broken branches asap.
  • Remove suckers and watersprouts asap.
  • Remove errant growth and branches that are in the way of pedestrians.
  • The best time to prune most plants is right after flowering.
  • Water and feed plants after pruning especially during the growing season.
  • Disinfect pruning tools after each plant, especially if plants are infested or infected.
  • Remove heavy and long branches with the 3 step method (jump cut).
  • Cut back stems to an outward facing shoot or bud that faces away from the inside of the plant.
  • Make cuts at a 45 degree angle slanting downward away from the bud, ¼ inch above an outward facing bud (node).
  • Cut branches just outside the branch ridge. 
branch ridge, branch collar, pruning
To remove a branch, cut just above its branch ridge.

Three step method to remove large limbs

Timing:
  • Pruning plants in the winter (during dormancy) encourages growth including suckers and watersprouts.
  • Summer pruning slows growth and reduces suckers, watersprouts.
  • Avoid pruning in spring when foliage has just emerged as this stresses plants.
  • Prune spring flowering plants after flowering.
  • Prune summer and fall flowering plants after flowering through to spring.
  • Avoid pruning from September through fall.
  • Prune fruit trees twice: winter and summer.
  • If necessary prune hemlock, yews, Douglas fir, firs, spruce in winter or late summer.
  • If necessary prune cedars, junipers, arborvitae, pines, false cypress (Chamaecyparis sp.) in late spring and early summer. 
  • Cut back cedar (Thuja sp., arborvitae) hedges in September at the latest. 
stub, pruning, tree stub
Remove this stub before it dies back, compromising the tree's health.
dwarf Alberta spruce, reverting, sports, pruning
The branches on the right of this dwarf Alberta spruce are reverting back and must be removed.
What to Remove:
  • Spindly and weak stems.
  • Stems that cross and ones that cross each other.
  • Branches in the way of pedestrians, vehicles etc.
  • Overly long branches that distract from the shape of the plant.
  • Old branches that no longer are productive: few or no flowers nor fruit.
  • Branches that grow towards the center of the plant.
  • Stubs, remnants of branches that were removed improperly.
  • No more than ¼ of growth when pruning at one time.
  • Branches that are too close together such as ones that are parallel and those that are attached to the trunk at a narrow angle – 45 degrees or less.
  • Flowers and fruit when planting and transplanting.
  • Spent flowers. 
  • Suckers from the rootstock from hybrid tea roses and other grafted plants.
  • The stems from cultivated varieties (cultivars) that revert back to their non-cultivated species ex: the Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca 'Conica') often converts back to its original species, the white spruce (Picea glauca). 
​Where to Prune
  • Cut back branches to a side branch or a bud to avoid stubs.
  • Note the direction a bud (node) is facing as that is direction the new branch cutting bud on the stem points the direction of the new branch.
  • Above a bud (node) it should face away from the plant’s centre.
  • Remove branches at their base where they join the trunk or another branch. Cut branches off just above the branch collar.
  • Don’t cut or remove the leader (the main stem) on trees with a single trunk.
  • To promote fruiting spurs on apples, pears, plums and nectarines, cut side shoots back to 2 to 4 nodes (buds).
  • To keep pines in check, pinch their ‘candles’ in half in June.
pruning, side branch, lateral branch
To shorten a branch, cut back to a lateral (side) branch.
pruning, topping, heading back, hat-racking
Don't cut more than 1/4 growth off. This is just so very wrong.
Please:
  • don't prune plants if they don’t need it
  • don't prune spruce, pine and other conifers: just remove errant branches
  • don't remove or cut back all the branches from a tree
  • don't cut off a tree’s leader (the main trunk)
  • don't cut back all a plant’s stems when transplanting
  • don't prune spring flowering plants before flowering
  • don't prune spring flowering plants in summer, fall and winter
  • don't prune in October, November and December
  • don't prune just before a plant’s flowering period if you want flowers, fruit
  • don't remove more than ¼ of growth at one time
  • don't remove well-formed healthy stems unless necessary
  • don't prune when it is raining and when plants are wet
  • don't leave stubs; cut back stems to their origin or just above a side branch or bud
  • don't top trees; it is a tree deformer and killer!
  • don't ​apply pruning paint or anything else to cut stems
​Safety
  • Always wear gloves to save your hands and to secure your grip.
  • As you remove branches, place them away from your work area to avoid tripping.
  • Place debris on tarpaulins away to drag to the next plant and for easy disposal.
  • Use sharp clean pruning tools appropriate for the job.
  • Avoid climbing trees and shrubs; use a ladder or hire a professional.
  • Don’t remove large limbs without using the 3 step method.
  • Don’t cut down large trees by yourself. Hire a professional that is ISA certified and up to date on their workmer's compensation payments.

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