Years ago, I faced a mini-crisis while installing several large trees in a landscaping project. I had rented a backhoe and hired a subcontractor to run the backhoe for the day, so when he failed to show a pit in my stomach opened. Well, I had used a bobcat and backhoe a very few times during my employment with another landscaping company. Determined to not let those greenbacks evaporate into thin air, I crawled up into the seat and got the job done as best as could be expected. It took twice as long and “wasn’t pretty” as they say. I’m sure the neighbors and my crew were entertained that day, and I went home sore from all the herky-jerky motion. I’m telling this story on myself because I want to put you at ease regarding pruning. We all have different skills and interests, and that’s what makes life spicy.
Have you ever noticed that the branches on trees and shrubs are not all arranged in the same way? Look at an oak or elm branch and notice how the smaller branches zigzag back and forth on the larger branch. Now look at a boxelder maple or ash tree, and the smaller branches are directly across from each other. The first arrangement is called alternate, and the second arrangement is called opposite. In humans, hormones regulate most aspects of how our bodies grow and age. Plant hormones function in a similar way. The buds below a pruning cut leap into action and push out new growth because the “big boss” hormone (called auxin in botanical speak) in the topmost bud has been removed. That hormone had kept the other buds from gaining dominance, and its removal has given them permission to grow. I have taken photos to illustrate which way the branch starts growing depending on the location of the pruning cut. If you understand this concept, you now can prune to direct growth in the appropriate direction. Opposite arrangements are a little trickier to direct, as both buds are now free to grow. Most plants fall in the alternate category, so isn’t it nice that most plants accommodate us by being the easier arrangement? It is best to cut slightly above the chosen bud, with the pruning cut angled like the line in the image. This prevents water from sitting on the cut. Now you know how to prune that pesky branch that always pokes you when you get out of the car!
One of my favorite plant persons, the late Cass Turnbull, started the organization PlantAmnesty (www.plantamnesty.org) in Seattle to educate people about the senseless mutilation of trees and shrubs caused by mal-pruning. She used humor and controversy to convey much needed information and became internationally known in the process. The following quote might help you relax if you’re afraid to try your hand at pruning. “Learning the kinds of cuts and how plants respond to them is the difficult part of learning to prune. It takes a little concentration, but once you understand it, you are more than halfway home. I often tell people that pruning is a skill like any other. You must pay attention and then practice. Learning to do a decent job of pruning takes more time and effort than learning to vacuum, but less than learning to play basketball. The sport of pruning takes about as much time as learning to play a decent game of ping-pong.”