DAMARIZ Introduction

Pruning as such; It is considered as an operation that consists of removing

branches and apices of branches from woody plants to alleviate the burden they
impose on the rest of the individual, with multiple purposes such as: to eradicate
diseases or injured elements, to increase the quantity and quality of flowers or fruits,
to guide certain parts towards positions favorable for the health of the plant or to
give it some artificial shape.

The purpose of pruning is to have strong, healthy and attractive plants. This goal
can be
Achieving knowing how, when and why to prune, and following a few principles
Very simple.

Basic definitions

Pruning Concept

We understand pruning to be the activity of intentionally cutting and grooming some

plants in order to obtain improvements in their growth as well as beautify their
natural shape or give them a new and artificial shape.
Meaning of Prune
Pruning is the process of trimming a tree or shrub. Done carefully and correctly,
pruning can increase fruit yield; thus, it is a common agricultural practice.

Reasons to Prune

The main reasons for pruning ornamental and shade trees are: safety, health and
aesthetics.

Additionally, pruning can stimulate fruit production and raise the value of the wood.
Safety pruning involves removing branches that could fall and cause injury or property
damage; eliminate those that obstruct visibility on streets or vehicle entrances; and
eliminate those that interfere with public service lines. Pruning for safety can largely be
avoided by carefully choosing species that do not outgrow the available space and
have the appropriate form and vigor for each location.
Pruning for health reasons

It involves removing diseased or insect-infested wood, thinning the crown to improve

ventilation and reduce pest problems, and removing branches that rub or crisscross.
The greatest use of pruning is to encourage the development of a vigorous structure in
trees and reduce the likelihood of damage from inclement weather. Removing broken
or damaged branches helps wounds heal.

Pruning for aesthetics

It attempts to enhance the trees' natural characteristics and encourage floral

production. Pruning to improve shape is especially useful with open-growing trees,
which shed very little foliage spontaneously.

All woody plants lose branches to shade and competition. Branches that do not
produce the carbohydrates necessary to sustain themselves, through photosynthesis,
die and then fall; The resulting wounds are sealed with scar tissue (callus). Wind or
accumulation of snow and ice can tear loosely attached branches. Branches torn off by
natural forces often leave large wounds with tears that rarely heal. As a growing
practice, pruning can complement or replace these natural processes, thereby
increasing plant vigor and longevity.

The shape of the trees is very varied, but the most common are pyramidal (excurrent)
and spherical (decurrent). Trees with pyramidal crowns, e.g. For example, most
conifers have a strong central trunk and more or less horizontal lateral branches, which
do not compete for dominance with the central trunk. Trees with spherical crowns, e.g.
For example, almost all hardwoods have many lateral branches that compete for
dominance.

To reduce the need for pruning, it is best to study the natural shape of the tree. It is
very difficult to give a tree an unnatural shape without constant maintenance work.

Delimbing and ornamental pruning are extreme cases of pruning to create a desired
unnatural effect.

The delimbing
It is the annual pruning of trees to remove all new foliage. The following year there is a
great profusion of shoots at the tips of the branches.

In ornamental pruning

Geometric or animal shapes are given to trees or bushes. Limbing and ornamental
pruning are specialized applications of pruning to alter the natural shape of the tree.
Ornamental pruning shows that, with care and attention, plants can be given almost
any shape. However, just as proper pruning can improve the shape or character of
plants, improper pruning can destroy them.

Pruning Methods

With young trees, the goal of pruning should be to give them a vigorous structure. As
they mature, the goal of pruning will instead be to maintain their structure, shape,
health and appearance. In correct pruning, the cuts are made at the nodes, that is, at
the union of the branches or stems. In spring, annual growth begins in the buds and
stems, until a new node forms. The section of branch between two nodes is called the
internode.

The most common types of pruning are:

Thinning the cup

Especially in hardwood trees, it is the selective cutting of branches to improve light

penetration and air circulation in the crown.

Its purpose is to preserve or develop the structure and shape of the tree. To avoid
unnecessary stress and excessive production of epicormic shoots, no more than a
quarter of the live crown should be cut in a single operation. If you need to prune more,
do it in several successive years.

Branches with a U-shaped joint angle should be preserved. Branches with a V-shaped
angle of union usually have embedded bark and should be removed. The bark
becomes embedded when two branches grow at a very acute angle, producing a
wedge of rolled bark between them. Embedded bark prevents firm attachment of
branches and often forms a crack below the point of attachment. Codominant trunks
that arise from the same position and are more or less the same size form embedded
bark. If some lateral branches of a co-dominant trunk are removed, its growth can be
reduced enough for the other trunk to become dominant.

Lateral branches should not be larger than half or three-quarters of the diameter of the
trunk at the point of union. Prevent “lion tails,” that is, tufts of branches and foliage from
forming at the ends of other branches, by removing all side branches and intervening
foliage. Lion's tails can cause diseases due to excess sun, large abundance of
epicormic shoots, and brittle branches with a weak structure.

All branches that cross or rub together should be removed. Conifers, with their spiral
and pyramidal branches, rarely require crown thinning except to reestablish a dominant
leading trunk. When the dominant branch of a tree is damaged, many others become
co-dominant. Choose the strongest leader and remove competing branches to avoid
the development of co-dominant trunks.

MAYDA Lift n of the cup

Crown raising involves cutting branches from the lower part of a tree to make room for
pedestrians, vehicles, buildings or services, or to obtain clean logs in lumber
production. Pruning lower branches of white pine can prevent rust. For trees growing in
the street, municipal regulations usually specify the minimum clearance. After pruning,
the ratio of living foliage to the total height of the tree should be at least two-thirds (e.g.
(e.g., a 12 m tree must have live branches in the upper 8 m at least).

In young trees, you can keep “temporary” branches on the trunk to promote the
tapering shape and protect them from vandalism and diseases from too much sun.
Choose some weak shoots as temporary branches, at intervals of 10 to 15 cm along
the trunk.

Prune them every year to slow their growth as they will eventually be removed.

Cup reduction

Pruning to reduce the crown is used primarily when a tree exceeds its allotted space.
This method, sometimes called down-fork pruning, is preferable to topping because it
produces a more natural appearance, delays the date of the next pruning, and
minimizes stress (see fork cuts in the next section).

Reducing the crown is a last resort and usually leaves large wounds on the trunks that
can attract rot. This method should never be applied to a pyramid-shaped tree. In the
long run, it is a better solution to remove the tree and replace it with another that will
not grow beyond the available space.

Pruning Cuts

When pruning, cuts should be made so that only branch tissue and root tissue are
removed.

trunk tissue is not damaged. At the point where the branch joins the trunk, the tissues
of

both are contiguous, but they are separated. If when pruning you cut only the tissues of
the branch,

It is likely that the trunk tissues will not die and the wound will heal better.

The quality of pruning cuts can be evaluated by examining the wounds at the end of the
growing season. Concentric rings of scar tissue form in well-made pruning cuts.
Smooth cuts made within the edge of the bark or branch collar cause intense scar
tissue development on the sides of the pruning wounds, with very little scar tissue
formation on the top and bottom.

As we said, cuts that leave stumps cause the rest of the branch to die, and scar tissue
forms around the base, with the tissues of the trunk.

When cutting small branches with hand pruners, make sure the tool is sharp so that the
cut is clean and does not cause tearing. Large branches that require the use of a saw
should be held with one hand while cutting. If the branch

If it is too big and you cannot hold it, make the cut in three steps to avoid tearing the
bark.
1. The first cut is a shallow notch under the branch, outside the neck. This cut will
prevent the branch from tearing the tissue of the trunk when it falls, separating it from
the tree.

2. The second cut should be made on the outside of the first, across the entire branch,
leaving a short stump.

3. Then cut the stump just outside the ridge of bark or the neck of the branch, and finish
the operation.

Pruning Practices That Damage the Tree

Topping and topping practices are pruning methods that damage trees and should not
be used. Crown thinning is the preferred method of reducing the size or height of a
tree's crown, but it is rarely needed and should not be used frequently.

Topping, that is, pruning large ascending branches between nodes, is sometimes used
to reduce the height of a tree. Topping consists of cutting lateral branches between
nodes to reduce the width of the crown.

These practices always cause the development of epicormic shoots, or death from the
cut branch to the next lower lateral branch. The union of these shoots and the trunk is
weak, and the branch that supports them rots.

Improper pruning causes unnecessary damage and tears the bark. Smooth cuts
damage trunk tissues and can cause rot. Stump cuts delay wound closure and are a
route of entry for the canker fungus which kills the change and delays or prevents
callus formation.

YINDIRA When to Prune

Conifers can be pruned at any time of the year, but pruning in the dormant season
minimizes the loss of sap and resin from cutting branches.

Hardwood trees and shrubs without showy flowers: Prune in the dormant season to
easily see the structure of the tree, maximize wound closure in the regrowth season
after cutting, reduce the risk of communicable diseases and avoid excessive loss of
sap. Fresh wounds and oozing scents attract insects that spread tree diseases. Q. For
example, elm wounds attract the bark beetle, which carries spores of the Dutch elm
fungus, and wounded oak attracts the beetle that carries the wilt fungus. Prune both
species at the appropriate time of year, so as not to spread those deadly diseases.
Consult your local tree disease specialist to find out when you should prune those
species in your region. Typically, the best time is late fall and winter.

Flowering trees and shrubs: these should also be pruned in the dormant season, for
the above reasons; However, to avoid losing the current year's flower production, prune
them according to the following schedule:

 Trees and shrubs that bloom in early spring (redbud, wild cherry, etc.) should be
pruned immediately after flowering (as the flower buds emerge the year before
flowering, they will form into new shoots).
 Many flowering trees are susceptible to necrosis scorch, a bacterial disease that
can be spread by pruning. These trees, like many varieties of crabapple,
hawthorn, pear, rowan, quince and pyracanth, should be pruned in the dormant
season. Your extension agent or a local horticulturist will give you more
information.
 Trees and shrubs that bloom in summer or fall should always be pruned in the
dormant season (flower buds will form on new shoots in the following growing
season, and flowers will open normally).

Dead branches: can be removed at any time of the year.

Pruning Tools

The right tool is essential for good pruning. The choice of tool depends on the size of
the branches to be pruned and the number of cuts you will make. If possible, test the
tool before purchasing to ensure it meets your specific needs. As with almost
everything, high quality usually comes at a higher cost.

In general, the smaller the pruned branch, the sooner the wound will heal. Manual
pruners allow you to cut small branches (less than 2.5 cm in diameter) and come in
many types, but they can be divided into two styles: snap and pass, depending on the
configuration of the blade. The strikers have a straight blade that cuts the branch,
resting it against a small anvil or bench, when the user squeezes the handles. Step
loppers have a curved cutting blade that slides against a lower, wider blade, like
scissors. To avoid unnecessarily tearing or crushing the tissues, it is best to use
passing pruners.

Slightly larger branches that you cannot cut with hand pruners can be cut with small
saws (up to 10 cm in diameter) or pruning shears (up to 7 cm), which have a larger
cutting surface and more leverage. Also shears are offered in knock and step styles.

Branches too large to cut with hand loppers or shears require pruning saws. These
vary greatly in the style of the handle, the length and shape of the blade, and the
design and type of the teeth. Almost all have tempered metal blades that remain sharp
after many cuts. Unlike other saws, pruning saws are designed to cut by “pulling” them.

Chain saws are preferable for cutting branches larger than 10 cm in diameter. Only
trained people should use these saws. To avoid having to cut branches larger than 10
cm in diameter, prune the branches when they are still small.

To cut branches out of reach, use pole loppers. In general, the cutting head prunes
branches up to 4.4 cm in diameter and there are some at once and in passing. Also in
this case the step tool is preferable. To prune thicker branches you can attach a saw
blade to the cutting head, or purchase a saw head separately.

To ensure you cut correctly and reduce fatigue, keep your cutting tools sharp and in
good condition. You should periodically sharpen your hand pruners, shears, and pole
loppers with a sharpening stone. There are many styles of replacement blades. Pruning
saws should be professionally sharpened or replaced periodically. To reduce cost,
many have disposable blades.

Tools must be clean and well disinfected, as well as sharp. Although disinfecting the
tool can be a hassle and is rarely done, it can prevent the spread of disease to a
healthy tree after pruning contaminated plants. The tool becomes contaminated by
contact with fungi, bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that attack trees. Almost
all pathogens need a way to enter the tree to make it sick, and fresh wounds are the
ideal access for infections. Microorganisms on the surface of the tool can easily enter
susceptible trees when pruning. The need to disinfect the tool will be much less if you
prune in the dormant season.
Wound Treatment

The sap, gums and resins of the trees are their natural means of defense against the
invasion of pathogenic agents. Although its appearance is not pleasant, the sap that
flows from pruning wounds is usually not harmful; however, excessive “bleeding” can
weaken trees.

When an oak or elm is injured at a critical time of year (usually spring for oak or the
growing season for elm), whether due to storms, other unforeseen mechanical injuries,
or necessary pruning of branches, some bandage should be applied to these injuries.
Do it immediately after cutting. At almost any other time, bandaging is unnecessary and
even counterproductive. Bandaging a wound does not stop decay or cure infectious
diseases. In fact, it can interfere with the protection of the tree's gums and resins,
preventing wounded surfaces from closing as quickly as they would under natural
conditions. The only advantage of dressing wounds is to prevent the entry of pathogens
in the specific cases of Dutch elm disease and oak wilt.