A sketch inspired by a challenge question at the end of Chapter 9 in Ed Gilman’s book An Illustrated Guide to Pruning.

Draw on a piece of paper how you would prune a young tree into a well-structured form with a dominant leader if it had a vase shape with several co-dominant stems and tight union angles.

Specifications:

Objective

To slow growth on scaffold limbs and improve overall tree structure by establishing a dominant leader.

System

Natural system.

Pruning Method

Largest diameter limbs shall be reduced in order to slow growth and reduce competition with the main leader. Aggressive sprouts with poor branch angles should be removed to eliminate bark inclusions and crossing/rubbing on the interior of crown. Healthy, upright sprouts that aren’t crossing/rubbing shall be maintained to avoid ‘lions-tailing’ limbs and to promote healthy taper on scaffold limbs.

Pruning Cuts

Pruning shall be accomplished with reduction cuts and removal cuts.

No stubs shall be left at any final pruning cut locations. Cuts shall be made back to just outside the branch collar on removal cuts; and to suitable lateral limbs (at least 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the parent limb) just beyond the branch bark ridge on reduction cuts. “The reduction cut shall bisect the angle formed by the branch bark ridge and an imaginary line perpendicular to the axis of the branch being cut” (Appendix 5, Gilman). Cuts should be kept as small as possible by cutting at a smaller angle when in doubt of locating the branch collar or branch bark ridge.

Cuts shall not exceed 1 inch in diameter. Pruning should not exceed a maximum of 12 cuts.

Tools and Equipment

Hand pruners and a hand saw should be used to make all pruning cuts. All pruning tools shall be disinfected prior to pruning.

General

A one year cycle should be implemented in order to follow up on response growth and continue with structural pruning treatment as needed to establish a dominant leader.