
Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County
Many people approach pruning with confusion, dread, or a chainsaw. I suggest approaching the task with a little knowledge, patience, and artistic vision. Appropriate pruning maintains plant health and promotes flower and fruit production. Timing, tools, and technique are important.
Timing
People often call the Extension office asking when they should prune. Let’s start with when not to prune: It’s rarely a good idea to prune late in the fall. Pruning stimulates plant growth. A flush of growth in late fall 1) uses up carbohydrates stored in the plant’s roots that it needs for healthy growth next spring; 2) is likely to be damaged by frost and freezes; and 3) is not what we want when plants are preparing for winter dormancy.
Otherwise, pruning timing depends on the plant. Things that benefit from pruning at winter’s end are plants that bloom and fruit on new growth, such as:
Abelia Hydrangeas (arborescens and paniculate)
Beautyberry Japanese barberry
Camelia Japanese spirea
Chaste tree (Vitex) Muscadine and grape vines
Crape myrtle Nandina
Floribunda and Grandiflora roses Rose of Sharon
Fruit trees Sweetshrub
Wait to prune spring blooming plants like azaleas, blueberries, dogwoods, and forsythia until after they finish blooming.

Tools
Pruning tools include hand pruners, loppers, and a variety of saws. Use sharp, clean tools. Pruning cuts made with sharp tools heal more quickly than cuts that result in crushed stems, ragged ends, or torn bark. If you’re dealing with disease issues, sanitize tools between each cut by dipping the blades in a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water.
Technique
In addition to stimulating growth, pruning helps maintain plant health, size and form. Pruning opens the canopy to allow sunlight to reach interior spaces or filter to the ground. Interior thinning also allows air to circulate and dry dew and rain from leaves. Wet leaves create an excellent environment for fungus.
Pruning requires vision. Before you begin, step back and really look at the plant. Decide how you would like it to look. If plants have been neglected, take a three-year view. It may take this long (or longer) to train and form them into the shape you want, since removing more than one-third of plant material can severely stress plants.
Begin by removing dead and diseased branches. Next, take out branches that grow toward the interior of the plant. If you see branches that cross and rub together, one of them needs to go. Rubbing damages the bark and opens the plant to pests and pathogens. Select the branch to keep based on strength, health and desirable growth habit.
For large branches, use a three-cut process. Make the first cut on the underside of the branch about 12 inches from the trunk of the tree, sawing one-fourth of the way through the branch. This undercut keeps the falling limb from tearing bark away from the tree. Make the second cut on the upper side of the branch 2-3 inches outside of the first cut. As you make this cut, the branch will swing downward toward the undercut. With the final cut, remove the stump at the branch collar, the thickened ring where the branch joins the trunk. You don’t need to paint pruning cuts with wound sealer.
At this point, step back and give the plant another assessment. Starting at the plant’s base, lop off suckers arising from the root system. Moving upward, clip off low-growing branches and watersprouts, those shoots that grow straight up.
Now comes the most important part. Stop. Repeat next year. Art can’t be rushed.