This is important because the wrong pair of shears may kill your roses. G to learn the correct cutting techniques: Wound closure comes fastest when the cuts are smooth. The results won’t be satisfactory, and you’ll likely damage the tree to boot. Thank you, Marc, for making it so much more understandable! Pruners: A good set of pruners is critical to effective pruning that won’t damage your plants. Whatâs hard for most people to understand is that pruning, properly done, strengthens rather than weakens the tree. When in doubt keep it and see if it grows any greenery next spring. You may not get any blossoms or flowers next year or your plant may look a bit odd for a year or two until it can grow back. On many plants there will be buds all along the stem. You should always consider the mature size of a plant or tree when choosing the planting location, so that you don’t have to struggle to keep the plant small. Continue pruning, pruning away foliage as outlined above. Shearing a conifer is done while the new needles (referred to as âcandles”) are about three-quarters grown and before this new growth has hardened and become woody, Fig. One has a small curved tree saw at the end that can handle small as well as large branches; the other version has a cord- or rod-operated lever-action pruning shear at the end. So there are a few other choices you have: Pruning can be quite intimidating if you are scared of cutting off the wrong branches. Fig. Gloves: If you are pruning any plant that has thorns such as roses or sticky sap, you should protect your hands with a pair of gloves. Do you need to cover the cuts with tree paint or wax? These prunings can come from flower bushes like roses, hydrangea and rhododendron. Nor will pruning significantly alter the shape of a mature tree, especially a conifer. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Any other pruning during the summer is generally not recommended, except with newly planted trees. Since diseases can vary greatly depending on the plant, this makes it hard to determine which foliage is diseased. Think of each stem (twig, branch or trunk) as a channel â a plumbing system â carrying water and nutrients for growth. Flower plants that get too high will flop over from the weight of the blooms. Some trees bleed. And you don’t need to put anything on the cut like you would on a cut on your finger. Shearing off about one-third of the new growth each year will keep the conifers growing slowly and within their intended space. If you planted something in the wrong spot, you can in most cases move it successfully. When dealing with large trees and branches, hire a professional. And it really didn’t grow out of control either. You can break your pruners and you can injure your hands as well by trying to cut thick branches. Unless you are okay with having one year without flowers. it removes branches that endanger property or interfere with overhead wires or nearby structures. D). Here is what they are: 1. Hydrangeas are especially susceptible to this. This article will give you those reasons by explaining the basics of pruning, some corrective tree surgery you can do, when to prune and what tools to use. Buds on the sides of branches are called “lateral” buds. Then prune the other half next year after it has finished flowering. If you enjoyed this article, have something to add or have any questions, please leave a comment below. To avoid this problem, use a pole pruner. When you are cutting off dead or diseased foliage, always cut into good material. How to Prune Trees Without Killing Them (step-by-step with pictures) ... Pruning, therefore, is removal of plant pans that grew prior to the current season; shearing is the removal of a portion of the current season’s growth, Pruning a conifer should be confined to dead or broken branches.