TIME TO PRUNE

Southern Living, Jan 2008 by Bender, Steve

Just like bird dogs and husbands, shade trees need training. Only in this case, you can't use a rolled-up newspaper. Training trees means removing, thinning, or shortening selected branches.

For most deciduous shade trees, winter is a great time to prune because with the leaves off, you can easily see which branches need work. (Don't prune maples and birches now, though, or they'll "bleed" sap. Do it in summer.)

THE FOUR TOOLS YOU'LL NEED

Hand Pruners

For twigs and branches a ½ inch or less in diameter, use hand pruners. Look for models that cut with a scissors action, such as the one shown here. Don't use them on thicker branches, or you'll bend the blades and they won't cut cleanly anymore.

Loppers

Pruning branches that are from ½ to 1 ½ inches thick calls for loppers. These combine large, sturdy scissors-type steel blades with long handles to help you gain leverage. Rubber shock absorbers between the handles keep you from rapping your knuckles together as you cut.

Pruning Saw

Cutting thicker branches requires a pruning saw. I prefer one with a thin, curved blade from 12 to 20 inches long with three-sided teeth. It cuts quickly on both the push and pull strokes and can fit into tight spaces between branches. Don't use a regular hand saw. After a couple of minutes with barely visible results and a lot of cussing, you'll see why.

Telescoping Pole Pruners

Is there a branch needing pruning that's too high to reach from the ground? Don't even think of sending your man up into a tree with a saw unless you're certain you're in the will and his assets exceed his liabilities. Instead, have him use telescoping pole pruners. These consist of a fiberglass or wooden pole with either a saw blade or slicing blade at the top. Some models have both. "Telescoping" means you can extend the pole anywhere from 10 to 14 feet, giving you much greater reach. -STEVE BENDER