Once your tree is in its forever home, either in a pot or planted in the ground, it’s so important to care for them to help them thrive, particularly in their first few years. Pruning will encourage trees to grow into the most beautiful shape they can. It’s an excellent method of preventative maintenance for both young and established trees.
While many trees will naturally form their adult shape as they grow, others need a little assistance to create a clear stem and a well-spaced canopy of branches. It is wise to keep an eye on young trees and carry out formative pruning as required. In general, it’s best to lightly prune to have an even growth rate of branches to promote even growth throughout the year.
It is also a good idea to prune young trees during their dormant season, in winter or early spring, before new growth begins. However, sometimes your tree has a growth spurt in summer and really needs a trim. Be careful not to remove too many branches filled with leaves, as these are necessary to protect the tree from sun. Much like how sunburn can occur when we head out on a hot day, shaded leaves may be scorched and damaged when suddenly exposed to the hot sun.
It is very important to always use clean, sharp, pruning tools and to disinfect with mild bleach in between every pruning to prevent disease.
To begin, look at the overall shape of your young tree and how it is going to translate into a mature tree. This is a good time to take off the branches you don’t want. Creating a good shape in the first few years will have benefits throughout the rest of your tree’s life.
Where trees grow with a clear central-leading branch that grows upwards ahead of the other branches, it is important not to cut this central leader, as this could spoil the final shape of the tree.
Remove the side branches from the lower third of the stem.
Shorten by half all the side shoots on the middle third of the stem.
Leave the top third of the main stem, apart from the removal of dead, diseased or damaged growth.
When pruning a branch, the bud nearest the top of it will be the first one to grow into a new shoot. Select cutting points carefully – prune just above a bud that points in the direction that you want the new shoot to grow.
Make cuts at an angle of 45°, so that the top of the cut slants away from the bud and in the direction that the bud is pointing. This helps the top of the branch to shrug off water, directing it away from the delicate bud.
And there we have it. Showing a little love for your tree will bring amazing benefits and help it flourish for a lifetime!
