Pruning Your Trees Regularly Will Improve Their Productivity

Pruning your garden trees regularly will keep them looking good.

They will reward you 1000% next year with much better fruit or an abundance of bloom along with stronger growth.

One of the greatest causes where fruit trees only produce small fruit or very little blossom is the lack of pruning.

Pruning trees not only makes them grow stronger but also makes them safer by cutting away old branches that might fall and damage property or human life.

You will need a saw, secateurs, knife and gloves.

You should take a good look at the tree and imagine in your mind how you want it to look when you have finished pruning it.

The branches all come from the trees trunk which forms the main structure of the tree. It is best to leave this in place and design the tree around this to your liking.

Branches that grow parallel to one another will need thinning by removing the weakest of these branches that cross over each other enabling the others to grow and develop, leaving only thoses branches that improve the overall shape of the tree.

Branches growing inward will only cause congestion in the centre of the tree spoiling the shape and preventing air from circulating.

Stand back and check for areas where the branches look crowded and then apply the guidelines to thin out those overgrown areas.

Special tree paint should be used on all large cut branches; this can be obtained from a local garden centre or shop.

If you have to cut any large branches it is advisable to paint the cut ends with a special paint that can be obtained from a garden store.

Dead and dying braches should always be removed whatever the season, as they could cause disease if left.

After cutting off the offending branches don’t forget to paint the cut ends.

You will need a container large enough to be able to dip the cutting blades of your pruning tools into a solution of household bleach, as the sap from the cuts can carry disease and this will be passed onto you healthy trees if you dont take precautions.

You should find a “collar” at the base of the branches, this should be left behind when you have cut off the branch so as to allow the cut too heal over naturally.

If you have trees that you rely on to provide shade during the summer, you can thin these out to maintain their shape, but be careful not to lower their height too much or you will reduce the shade you require.

Always collect the fallen leaves and any fallen fruit before you start pruning your trees, as these may be caring disease, and destroy them. This will give your trees a cleaner start to the next season.