Pruning Trees And Shrubs

Walnut

INTRODUCTION

Pruning is an ancient practice. There are references to it in the early scriptures. Many writers have dealt with the subject subsequently and within the last fifty years much attention has been given to the pruning of trees in commercial orchards and there is still much to be learned.

The pruning of trees as ordinarily understood has broadened greatly in the last thirty years. During this period the need of systematic attention to shade and ornamental trees became increasingly apparent. This is indicated in part by the somewhat general appointment of tree wardens, city foresters, shade tree commissioners, all charged with tree welfare based to a considerable extent upon pruning. This period has also witnessed the development of the tree expert to such an extent that residents of most localities in the northeastern states have at their command service of this nature. There are in this field, as in other professional or semi-professional activities, many thoroughly reliable and conscientious operators and some, we regret to state, who cannot be classed as such. The laws in relation to expert tree work enacted by various states are intended to protect the public from the unscrupulous. A notable advance in this direction was made in 1940 when the state of New Jersey passed a law providing for certified tree experts, thus placing those who chose to avail themselves of its provisions in a position comparable to that of the well known and highly regarded certified public accountant.

This book primarily supplies information in regard to the possibilities of pruning trees in such a way as to best serve human needs under the highly diverse conditions of the present day. There are a large number of shade and ornamental trees and a great variety of fruit-producing trees, shrubs and vines. They all have requirements and yet the fundamental principles to be observed when training or pruning them are the same, although there must be adaptations in treatment under varying soil and climatic conditions. This book is not intended to be exhaustive. Its aim is to present in concise form and non-technical language the more important matters in relation to pruning of woody plants. It is intended for the individual who may have a few trees or shrubs rather than for the extensive fruit grower or operator who must avail himself of all possible knowledge in relation to his specialty and through experience learns facts not adequately covered by existing texts.

Growing trees is a long-time proposition. Well grown ones should serve man through a period of fifty to one hundred or even two hundred years. It is obvious that such trees should be started right if they are to be most serviceable. The care or treatment should be that which will further the purpose in view. The loss of only one-tenth in returns from an apple orchard over twenty-five years may make the difference between a bare living and highly satisfactory prosperity. Such a loss may easily result from unwise pruning. Similar depreciation may accrue with other trees and with shrubs even if it cannot be expressed in fiscal terms. It is the author’s hope that this little book will aid the grower of trees, both shade and fruit, to realize more fully what pruning can do and that it will stimulate him to study his own problems critically in an effort to see whether the knowledge or experience of others in the pruning of trees can be of service in improving his own practices.

The author is under deep obligations to earlier writers, especially to Professor L. H. Bailey, author of The Pruning Manual, and to M. G. Kains and his Principles and Practices of Pruning. These valuable texts made it relatively easy to prepare a concise account in relation to pruning fruit trees. The writer also desires to acknowledge his indebtedness for valuable information and unrivaled opportunities for observation to both The F. A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company, a leader in its field, and The Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories. The numerous illustrations of shade and ornamental trees, figures 1-57, used in this work came from the files of these two organizations while many of the figures of fruit trees and shrubs, figures 58-94, are reprinted by permission from the volume by Mr. Kains.

E. PORTER FELT.

CHAPTER I

NATURE A GUIDE IN PRUNING

Learn to Work with Nature

There is no better guide in dealing with trees than that afforded by Nature. It is well known that most young trees growing in the open and free from interference of any kind develop an attractive symmetrical form and frequently require little pruning. This desirable state of affairs continues for a number of years and then from one cause or another, frequently through competition of closely placed trees or branches, limbs weaken and eventually die. Such conditions also result from malnutrition, drought, repeated defoliation by insects or fungi, the work of borers, or the effects of various diseases. This is one of Nature’s ways of pruning. The desirability of removing sickly and dying wood is somewhat generally recognized though there are many localities where dead wood in trees is taken as a matter of course. The connection between stubs of varying length and the invasion of wood rots and the subsequent weakening of the tree has been known for years and yet such stubs, providing ready entrance to wood rots, are frequently seen on street trees, even on those which are given a certain amount of systematic care.

FIG. 2.—Elm from The Elm City, a splendid type of a justly favored New England tree. (Photo by Rush P. Marshall)

Light and Tree Growth

Observations show that trees growing near each other have their shape greatly modified by reduced light. This is seen in the case of closely planted street trees, the branches of which soon touch, shade out, and die. The thick planting is usually to give immediate effect and from that viewpoint it is justified. In such cases it may be wise to cut out alternate trees before they crowd each other. This may have been the original plan. Too frequently this is not done and in later years it is usually impossible to remove trees from closely planted rows without causing unsightly effects. Shading is one of Nature’s methods of pruning. This is seen to a marked degree in forests where keen competition restricts the individual trees to small tops at a considerable height. Such trees have their growth greatly slowed by the restricted leaf and feeding areas.

Plenty of light is necessary to satisfactory development of foliage. This applies not only to individual trees as in forests but also to parts of trees. The branches of a tree are in more or less competition with each other. If there are too many some will be greatly weakened by insufficient light and eventually die. A little judicious pruning to remove superabundant branches or to head back those which are gaining an advantage over the others aids greatly in maintaining a satisfactory balance in the tree as a whole. This is particularly important in the case of orchard trees. The more active leaves, the stronger bloom, and the better fruit is produced on the outer, especially the upper, part of the top of the tree and comparatively little in the shaded interior.

Nature Not Infallible

The tendency to produce undesirable growth is strikingly manifest in many older apple trees throughout the country. These, if not pruned, soon develop many suckers at the expense of the tips of the limbs upon which they grow and soon there are dying branches and a thickly crowded interior with a seriously marred appearance and a greatly lessened fruit production as well as a lowered and less valuable quality. These last two have a marked effect upon orchard profits and illustrate the advisability of guiding the growth of trees by pruning if one would secure the most satisfactory results.

Nature’s Pruning

Pruning is a natural and necessary process. There are more buds and more branchlets than can possibly develop into limbs and large branches. The suppression of many of these results from shading as mentioned earlier.

There are, in addition, the sickly, dying and dead branches which are killed as a result of attack by insects, fungi, or die because of weakening due to deficient moisture or malnutrition. Nature takes her own time in removing these. They simply dry and after a period of years decay and drop. These dead branches afford entrance to wood rots and the rots later cause weakening of larger limbs and even the trunk. These conditions are tolerable in a woodland. They are not satisfactory in specimen or roadside trees. In such places the individual tree is of decidedly more importance than the general well-being of the entire group.

FIG. 3.—A roadway lined with sugar maples, strong competitors of the American elm in early days.

Nature is ruthless in pruning during wind or ice storms. These break or tear out important parts of trees leaving scarred areas which permit ready invasion by wood rots. Such methods are obviously unsuited to the more highly prized trees of lawns and parks and yet they are not as a rule seriously destructive under woodland conditions.

Occasionally Nature in her more violent moods practically destroys entire trees or all the trees on wooded tracts. Fortunately these developments are relatively uncommon and generally not on a large scale. There is no practical method of dealing with these.

Need of Pruning

Only a little observation of trees in the forest, the field, and along streets shows conditions which could be greatly improved by pruning. There is first of all the dead wood or branches which should be cut away in the interests of both appearance and safety, especially in the case of street and park trees. Furthermore, the dead branch makes considerable draft upon needed moisture in branches and trunks and also affords a ready entrance to wood rots. The latter rather speedily invade larger branches and trunks and cause serious weakness as well as many unsightly cavities. Pruning reduces these conditions to a minimum.

The removal of weak wood is a valuable check on the development of certain insects and fungous diseases. Heading back results in more vigorous growth of the branch or branches, with a corresponding increase in healthy tissue and a probably favorable reaction upon a possibly weakened root system. Judicious pruning of slightly weakened branches, those handicapped by insufficient light or air, checks the trouble in its inception.

Possibilities of Modifying Tree Growth

Every species of tree within certain limits develops a normal type although there are frequently great and sometimes undesirable departures from the standard. These deviations may be caused by unfavorable growing conditions, particularly uneven exposure to light or to strong air currents, the latter most frequently seen along the coast or at high elevations. Both of these greatly modify the shape and appearance of trees and usually affect the crop to an appreciable extent.

The topiary work of the skilled horticulturist illustrates in a striking manner the possibilities of systematic and careful pruning to maintain a certain form. The spherical head of the dwarf Japanese catalpa, commonly known as Catalpa bungei, is a common and striking deviation from the more usual catalpa type of growth, though one which must be maintained by annual pruning. A similar though markedly different condition is seen in the Camperdown elm or the weeping mulberry, the drooping branches of both being grafted on standard stock. It is not difficult to grow the European beech and a number of other trees with a beautiful oval head extending up from the ground or the crown may be ten or fifteen feet above the sod. Both are beautiful; the difference is in the method of pruning or training.

The Espalier form in its various types is another striking illustration of what can be done with various fruit trees. It is even possible to train these so as to cover symmetrically the large surface of a building, as for example the gable end of a barn. Espalier trees are somewhat common in the larger gardens of the United States. They are mostly under the care of gardeners who have been trained in Europe.

Adjusting the Tree to Its Surroundings

Pruning to fit the surroundings is a phase of horticulture which might well be given more consideration. It is especially adapted to trees growing on small places though there are situations where it can be used to advantage on larger properties.

The general notion has been that a tree should be allowed to grow as it will and if it becomes too large, it should be cut down and