Pruning is a technique for caring for fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs, which consists of partially or completely removing branches, regulating their growth, development, flowering and fruiting. If it is not carried out or done incorrectly, then you can forget about high-quality green spaces on your site. Entrust the trimming of bushes to professionals and contact our specialists who, for a reasonable fee, will help keep your front garden in a well-groomed condition.

Sanitary pruning of the garden

It is used not only when the condition of the tree or bush is already neglected, that is, it has not been cared for for a long time. It is also used for the purpose of growth and development of new branches. Sanitary pruning can be done throughout the year, but is best done in spring and autumn. First of all, broken and dried branches are removed, as well as some drooping branches in the lower zone of the crown. Then the crown size is limited and anti-aging pruning is carried out. It restores the fading growth of old trees and shrubs, stimulates the formation of generative buds, restores decorative properties and increases plant productivity.

When sanitary pruning, the following elements are removed from the plant:

• withered and irreversibly drying branches;
• broken, hanging branches;
• dry shoots growing into living wood;
• branches affected by certain diseases;
• split, broken branches.

There is also sawing of previously incorrect cuts.

When pruning trees and bushes, you may need: a chainsaw, pruning shears (with parallel blades or single-sided cutting), a lopper, a garden saw, a brush cutter, a garden knife, a branch chopper, a stepladder, a metal brush for cleaning wounds and products (garden pitch, paint) for their sealing. All gardening tools should be in good condition to prevent further damage to the plants. Working tools must be cleaned and lubricated after work, protecting them from rust, and sharpened before work. Do not use the tool if the branches and twigs are thicker than the values ​​​​recommended by the manufacturer. Failure to comply with the rules can not only damage the bush, but also lead to an accident.

When should trees and bushes be pruned?

Changeable weather constantly makes adjustments to the timing of pruning, either extending or shortening the period of work by about one to a week and a half. But traditionally, the best time to put the decorative garden in order is the end of January - the beginning of April. It is also good to remove the crown and branches in late autumn. During this period, trees and bushes are dormant.

Restrictions for pruning old branches:

• Pruning of the bush is carried out after the end of the growing season and before the start of sap flow, that is, before the buds begin to swell.
• Air temperatures below 8-10 degrees below zero are unsuitable for work on cleaning branches and crowns in order to stimulate bush growth.

As for fertile varieties of trees and shrubs, they need to be pruned after flowering. Thus, in the first half of summer they successfully form new shoots on which next year’s flower buds will be formed.

General rules for pruning

Sanitarypruning should minimally injure the plant, so keep the tool clean and sharp. Thin shoots, up to 2 cm in diameter, are cut with pruning shears or a curved garden knife. Thicker ones need to be removed with a hacksaw.

It is necessary to make an even cut with a knife so that the plant tissue does not wrinkle. This requires great precision. When working with pruners, it is important to choose the correct position. The tool should be positioned freely, not touch other branches and not crush the shoot being cut.

When sawing, the first cut should be made from below, at a distance of several centimeters from the main branch, about a quarter of the thickness of the shoot being cut. The second is done from above, retreating 1 cm to the top. You need to cut until the branch breaks off along the grain. With this method trimmings the fallen branch does not break off pieces from the remaining stump. It can be removed later.

A correct cut or cut has a smooth surface and straight edges without protruding pieces of bark. It should not retain water or dirt. If the cut is uneven, it must be cleaned with a garden knife. If the cut area is more than 3 cm in diameter, it must be lubricated with garden varnish to prevent infection. To seal the cut, you can use oil paint to match the color of the bark. Damaged wood should also be cleaned, then painted over or covered with garden varnish. Putty must meet the following characteristics:

• be sterile;
• have antiseptic properties;
• be waterproof so that spores and microorganisms that have already reached the surface of the wounds die, and new ones cannot settle.

The putty must be applied to a dry cut surface 20 minutes after trimming, but no later than 24 hours. Experts do not recommend using creosote and tar as putty.

Cutting techniques

1. Kidney cut. You can remove part of the damaged branch and direct its growth the way you want. To do this, find healthy soil on the shoot, located in the direction you need, and make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees to the branch. It is convenient to hold the pruner in such a way that the cutting blade is directed towards the part of the shoot that remains. The buds should remain intact, but there should be no stumps above it.
2. Ring cut. In this way, you can remove an entire branch, which takes away food from bushes and trees. For this purpose, the cut should be made along the outer edge of the ring - the junction of the branches, where there is an influx of bark.
3. Side branch cut. Using this technique, you can transfer the course of growth from an unnecessary branch to a healthy one. The cut is made in relation to the remaining shoot in such a way that it becomes, as it were, a continuation of it.

Pruning fruit and berry bushes

It is very important to properly perform sanitary pruning of fruit bushes. Since this will not only restore the growth of trees and bushes, but also increase their yield. Typically, shrubs such as raspberries, currants, gooseberries, blueberries, blackberries and so on are pruned year-round.
In the spring, as soon as the first snow melts, you should inspect the bush for dead branches, broken or diseased branches. It is necessary to cut to the first living bud. If the fruit bushes have not been damaged during the winter, you need to carry out a planned shortening of the shoots by 20 cm. The result of such spring sanitary pruning will be an increase in yield. In the summer, after harvesting (for example, from raspberry bushes, currants, etc.), some shoots that bear fruit are removed. They only take away the strength of the bush and shade it. This way you can also control new plant growth and the size of the bushes. In autumn, part of the crown and branches are cut off two to three weeks before the first frost. During this period, old branches, excess and infected shoots are removed from all fruit bushes.
You should also be very careful when trimming excess branches. For example, currants very often form a large number of buds on the tops of their shoots. They provide a large harvest of delicious berries. If the shoots are cut off, the buds will disappear, as will the berries.
If the bush is pruned systematically, then every year you will have to cut out no more than two or three old branches. If it seems that currants, raspberries, gooseberries or other fruit bushes are outdated and replacing several old shoots with young ones does not help much, it is better to do a radical rejuvenation. That is, cut off both old and young branches.

Pruning conifers

In order for coniferous shrubs (for example, juniper, yew, larch and others) to delight with their decorative appearance, from time to time they need formative pruning. The branches are cut down in the spring, when the plant can easily tolerate the procedure.

Pruning of conifers for sanitary purposes is carried out in the fall. During this period, the bush should be cleared of all dry, diseased or damaged branches. It is most convenient to work with pruning shears. Autumn pruning of conifers requires feeding trees and bushes. It will not be superfluous to apply special fertilizers. Then the coniferous representatives will tolerate the procedures well and quickly achieve their decorative qualities.

Pruning flowering shrubs

Beautifully flowering bushes are grown for their magnificent flowers, which delight the eye from spring to mid-autumn, depending on the variety. Therefore, the main goal of pruning them is to achieve abundant flowering.

According to the characteristics of pruning, beautiful flowering shrubs should be divided into three groups:

• First: plants that do not form replacement large shoots from the lower part of the crown (for example, lilac, magnolia, serviceberry, and so on).
• Second: shrubs, the flowering of which occurs on the shoots of the previous year (for example, hydrangea, mock orange, deutzia, tamarix, and so on).
• Third: flowering occurs on the shoots of the current year (for example, spirea).

Adult shrubs of the first group require the removal of branches that have dried out, become diseased or damaged. On young ones, weak and incorrectly located shoots are pruned in the spring. Hydrangea and other shrubs of the second group undergo pruning of weak and damaged branches immediately after flowering. Thin and weak growths can also be removed. To ensure the appearance of young shoots, regularly trim a fourth or fifth of the old branches to the ground. Shrubs of the third group need to be heavily pruned in early spring to form new powerful shoots.

Pruning decorative foliage plants

Ornamental deciduous shrubs should be heavily pruned in the spring. Thanks to the correct removal of damaged, dried and old shoots, part of the crown, it will be possible to achieve active growth of young branches. And the blossoming leaves will achieve maximum decorative effect. In autumn, only damaged, dried and diseased shoots should be removed.

Why is it worth ordering professional sanitary pruning of coniferous, ornamental and fruit plants?

• All work will be performed by professionals who have the appropriate knowledge and skills.
• The services will be performed with high quality.
• All necessary tools are available.
• Certified substances and materials are used.

Everyone should worry about sanitary pruning of the garden. The set of measures includes cleaning the trunk of excess growths, shoots, and removing old diseased branches. Let's look at all these features in more detail.

Shrub trimming.

If you do not pay attention to all the activities related to sanitary pruning, the garden will look neglected. The shoots of the trees will be overgrown with tops - strict straight shoots that will grow upward and draw moisture and valuable substances from the soil. In this case, they can be bent and fixed to give them a horizontal position or cut out.

Purposes of sanitary pruning

Both fruit trees and ornamental species and berry bushes are subject to sanitary pruning. Particular care must be taken when pruning remontant raspberries. The thing is that in the first year it produces a shoot, and already in the second year fruits begin to form on it. If you cut off the latter, you will not be able to get a harvest.

Sanitary pruning of apple trees in autumn. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

If you carry out cleaning according to all the rules, you can transform the garden and make it more aesthetically pleasing. The tools you will need are a pruning shear or a garden saw. In addition, you will need garden pitch, alcohol, garden paint and a piece of old fabric.

Once the cutting is completed, you can apply one of the garden products to the ring. After processing each tree, tools must be wiped with alcohol to prevent infection of the plants.

Important! When working in your garden, cut the shoots into rings without stumps. To remove shoots 2-3 cm thick, use pruning shears; cut larger specimens with a garden saw. If you need to eliminate an old or unhealthy branch, first remove all the branches from it, then trim from the bottom, then from the top. This way it will break evenly and prevent the formation of a painful scuff on the bark, which may not heal for a long time.

Advantages of autumn sanitary pruning of trees and shrubs

There are many benefits to garden pruning. With its help, you can get rid of damaged and old shoots, as well as those that grow in the middle of the crown. The procedure will improve the growth and development of plants and will prolong their youth. Ruthlessly remove spent shoots, branches and twigs. Despite the fact that they are large, they will have to be removed in any case, because they often grow deep into the crown and thicken the plantings. As a rule, this phenomenon is typical for currant bushes.

Ruthlessly remove spent shoots. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Pay due attention to common raspberries: shoots that have already produced fruit should be cut off at the very base.

Read also:

Pruning pears in autumn

Regardless of whether you are pruning a bush or a tree, you need to cut out all the shoots that have produced fruit into a ring. In currants they will be black. In addition, remove excess intertwined shoots and those that show signs of disease and traces of pest activity. Mechanically damaged branches must also be eliminated. This way you can strengthen the plants' immunity.

Timing for sanitary pruning

In the south of the country it is recommended to resort to varietal cleaning at the end of November, in the central regions - at the beginning of November, in the north of Russia - in October.

In the south of the country, it is recommended to resort to varietal cleaning at the end of November. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

It’s great if by the time of the procedures the plant has shed most of its leaf blades. You need to start removing old branches and shoots during a period when the air temperature is a maximum of 5 degrees below zero. If you ignore this recommendation and start working in extreme cold, the plant tissues, which by this time are already frozen, may become thinner, as a result of which they will begin to break off and cause damage to the shrub or tree.

Sanitary pruning of the garden

If you are still not familiar with the basic rules of garden pruning, it's time to look at them in more detail.

First of all, you must begin to eliminate all dried shoots. In this case, cleaning must be carried out so that healthy tissue (if any) is affected by a few centimeters. If they are missing, you will have to cut them down to the base, and then apply garden varnish to the cut areas.

Then you should pay attention to cutting out the shoots that could not withstand the extreme cold and have frost holes visible on them. You need to completely cut out the affected tissue at the base of the skeletal shoots and young growing shoots. All this will allow you to restore the conductive system of the shoot and activate the growth of full-fledged parts of the bush or tree. All shoots growing deep into the crown must be removed. They not only thicken the crown, but also reduce the effectiveness of pesticides used on plants. If you leave them untouched, the middle of the crown will be weakened and become a breeding ground for infectious diseases.

First of all, we remove dried shoots. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

The intensity of flowering will decrease, the process of fruit ripening will slow down, the plant will be susceptible to attacks by pests and various ailments.

Read also:

Basic mistakes when pruning plants

Then start removing vertical shoots. You can also bend them 90 degrees. Tie shoots located at too sharp angles to the trunk or cut them off. If this is not done, long-lasting wounds will appear on the bark. All shoots with signs of pests and diseases must be cut off and disposed of by burning them off-site. This way you will protect healthy plants growing in your garden from infection.

Competing shoots, in particular those that rub against each other in strong winds, should be cut off. Leave only a thick, well-developed shoot. Cut the second one into a ring.

What to do with broken shoots? Of course, they will also have to be cut off. No matter what led to their damage, wind or disease, in any case they have no place on a healthy plant.

If you run out of garden varnish, you can cover the cut areas with garden paint. Cut old shoots that have not bear fruit for a long time into rings and find younger ones growing nearby in the same direction.

Sanitary pruning of bushes

This pruning is practically no different from that done with shrubs.

Sanitary pruning of gooseberries. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

If you are growing red or black currants, remove any deformed shoots from aphids and those on which you find swollen buds. The presence of the latter indicates that they were infected with a bud mite or had terry shoots on them, which are considered a sign of a viral disease. The optimal time for the procedure is October.

As for common raspberries, you need to cut out all the shoots that have served their purpose, as well as those that are broken or that thicken the planting too much. It is recommended to carry out manipulations with bushes in October-November.

If we are talking about viburnum, then it is necessary to reduce the growth of the tree. To do this, you need to choose shoots that grow from below, but look up. Trim those at the top at the base, because over time it will be difficult to harvest. The thinning period occurs in November.

The same goes for sea buckthorn. Some tall shoots can be removed, leaving space for young shoots growing from below. It is recommended to devote time to sea buckthorn in October.

You can trim the shadberry every five years. You need to remove shoots at waist level. After this, she will release new branches from which it will be convenient for you to collect fruits. This should be done in the fall, at any time.

A plant such as chokeberry responds well to pruning. If you remove the central conductor, the bush will begin to grow in width, so you can easily harvest a generous harvest from its branches. Start work in November.

Gooseberries also respond well to this procedure. Initially, you need to remove the shoots that spread along the ground. It is not recommended to pick berries from such branches, because they may be infected with late blight. Lift the bush to form a trunk. This way the branches with berries will not lie on the ground. In addition, cut off damaged and dry branches. This can be done at the end of October.

At the end of the dacha season, when the entire harvest of berries and fruits has been harvested and ornamental plants have finished flowering, experienced gardeners must carry out routine sanitary pruning of trees and shrubs. The main goal of this event is to improve the health of plants and remove damaged shoots that interfere with the development and growth of seedlings and impair their winter hardiness.
The best time for all types of pruning of garden plantings (shaping, rejuvenating, sanitary, thinning) is after the end of leaf fall. Gardeners usually plan garden work for the end of October - November. And immediately after pruning and removing plant debris, it is advisable to treat trees and bushes with modern means against pests and infectious diseases.
Pruning is carried out in dry weather, since moisture penetrating into the wound surfaces of wood slows down the processes of healing, scarring and the formation of new tissues and promotes the activation of pathogenic microorganisms: fungal spores, microbes and bacteria.
For sanitary purposes, the following branches and shoots must be removed:

• broken;
• dried out;
• cracked;
• infested with pests;
• with signs of illness;
• intertwined with each other;
• growing inward and thickening the crown;
• weak and thin.

Additionally, it is recommended to trim the tallest shoots that stick out from the previously formed crown silhouette to a healthy bud. Thin branches are cut with a sharpened pruner, and large branches are cut with a hand, gas or electric saw.

According to reviews from experienced summer residents, autumn is the most favorable time for pruning plants. Trees that have prepared for a period of dormancy can easily tolerate the removal of even the largest and skeletal branches, which for any reason should be removed.

Treatment of wounds on trees using garden varnish

It is recommended to immediately disinfect large sections by treating them with a solution of iron sulfate (10%), copper sulfate (5%) or potassium permanganate (1%). Antiseptic solutions will destroy pathogenic microflora and prepare plants for the next stage - sealing wounds.

To speed up the healing process, gardeners use garden pitch or garden putty, purchased in a store or prepared independently from a mixture of clay, mullein, wax and straw with the addition of growth stimulants. The composition is applied to the dry surface of the cut or cleaned wound using the fingertips, after putting a glove on your hand, or a spatula.

Garden cleaning and tree spraying

After the event, there is a mandatory cleaning of the garden. It is advisable to remove all plant residues after sanitary pruning of plantings: leaves, carrion, cut branches and shoots from the site or burn them by sawing large branches or chopping them with an ax. In the collected garbage, larvae of dangerous insects and pathogens find a haven for wintering, so that with the arrival of spring they begin their destructive activities in the garden.
It is more convenient to rake leaves under trees growing on the lawn using a fan rake, and select mummified fruits and rotting carrion, like walnuts, by hand.

After pruning, used garden tools (saw, pruning shears) should be disinfected with alcohol or a solution of potassium permanganate.

When all the plants in the garden are pruned, you can safely begin treating (spraying) them with fungicides and insecticides against diseases and pests. The main thing is that the air temperature is not lower than +5°C, otherwise the effectiveness of some drugs is reduced to a minimum. The use of pesticides in the garden in late autumn is considered the safest for plants and the future harvest, since the lion's share of toxic substances has time to completely decompose during the cold period.

Let your garden become a real pride and decoration of the site!

Reasons for sanitary removal of plant branches may include excessive thickening of the crown, disease, or the presence of dry branches. This type of pruning allows you to restore the decorative qualities of city trees and significantly improve the fruiting of garden trees. If sanitary pruning is carried out regularly, the crown becomes healthier and the likelihood of various wood or bark diseases is reduced.

The professionals of our company have been crowning both city and garden trees for many years. Call or write to us and we will take care of your plants like no other.

What is sanitary pruning of trees and shrubs

When sanitary pruning, the following branches are removed:

• dry or shrinking;
• broken or completely broken, but hanging in the crown;
• dry, but grown into living wood;
• affected by diseases;
• stumps left after improper pruning;
• intertwined, coppice and top shoots.

In other words, sanitary pruning of trees is the removal of those parts that may pose a danger to people or to the plant itself. In the first case, these are dry branches, broken, hanging over wires, houses and other buildings. In the second, these are those parts that are infected with fungal diseases, rotten and old.

Pruning fruit trees in the garden

In the garden, the most common reason for sanitary “surgery” is infection of a plant by diseases or pests, as well as the breaking of branches due to different weather conditions. Fruit trees can become infected with fungal diseases during the flowering period; then, already during fruiting, some branches dry out, the bark peels off and turns black. Spraying with fungicides in this case will not give any results. Only sanitary pruning of fruit trees can save the plant. Disease-affected branches are removed completely or partially. In this case, all cuts are carefully treated with garden varnish or special paint.

Healthy garden trees also require sanitary pruning every year. The fact is that often the skeletal branches of fruit trees turn out to be too long. They can break both under the weight of the fruit, and when wet during rains, and due to strong winds. In this case, sanitary pruning involves cutting and sawing out broken branches. Moreover, if the branch is broken not at the trunk itself, it is cut out and transferred to a side branch. If this fails, then such a branch is cut out into a ring.

Sanitary tree pruning in the city

First of all, when carrying out sanitary pruning, pay attention to the location of the branches. Vertical shoots or branches often appear in the crown, growing at an acute angle from the trunk. As they grow, such branches can be torn from the trunk by the wind, which will lead to the development of diseases and death of the tree. Most often, this problem is typical for young urban trees and shrubs. In old plants, when carrying out sanitary pruning, dry tops and individual dry branches are removed. This allows you to rejuvenate the plant, improve the foliage of the tree and the quality of the leaves.

There are some rules for sanitary tree pruning:

• Sick and dry branches should be trimmed from the healthy part. The branches are removed into a ring, and the shoots are removed above the outer bud, but in such a way that it is not affected.
• The cuts remain smooth. Large cuts may be slightly convex in shape. Vertical branches are cut obliquely so that water does not stagnate in the cut.
• Large branches are removed with three cuts. First: at the bottom of the branch, 30 centimeters from the trunk, a quarter of the thickness of the branch deep. Second: from above, 5 centimeters further from the trunk than the first cut. The third cut is made after the branch falls off; this is the final cutting of the remaining stump.
• Wounds and cuts after pruning are covered with garden varnish or special paint. Only coniferous trees do not cover wounds and cuts.

If necessary, sanitary pruning of trees (norms and requirements are strictly observed) can be carried out at any time of the year. But most often this work is carried out in spring and autumn.

Leave the pruning to the professionals!

In populated areas, you should not try to carry out crowning or cutting yourself. Trust this work only to professionals. Our specialists know how to properly perform sanitary pruning of trees; the price will depend on the complexity of the task, the height of the plant, and the number of cuts. Before pruning trees in a city or other populated area, an inspection of green spaces and all necessary consultations are carried out. Only after this, specialists carry out sanitary pruning of trees (documents and permits for work are obtained in advance and in the manner prescribed by law).

We will take into account all the nuances, right down to special equipment, machinery and equipment. Arborists-cutters will carry out work in accordance with the rules and safety precautions so that your garden and green spaces meet aesthetic and sanitary requirements. You can visually see what sanitary tree pruning is (photos and videos) on our website. Remember that sanitary removal of branches is not a whim, but an annual need for your garden or green spaces near your home, business, or settlement.

Sanitary tree pruning video

Sanitary pruning of trees is a comprehensive health-improving and preventive measure carried out regularly. They are aimed at eliminating damaged and dry branches, preventing the spread of the disease, and restoring decorativeness. It is best to entrust their implementation to arborists who are well familiar with the technology and have the necessary tools.

The specialized company NOBILI offers to order sanitary pruning of trees. We have been operating in the market of environmental services in Moscow and the region for several years now and enjoy a reputation as a reliable and proven contractor. Contacting us is the key to professional pruning at an affordable price.

What is sanitary pruning and why is it needed?

Sanitary pruning is one of the types of pruning that has a preventive purpose. It is applicable for fruit and ornamental plantings and is aimed at removing branches damaged by strong winds, diseases or harmful insects.

It must be carried out promptly, since such branches are a source of potential danger for people passing under the tree, parked cars, buildings and landscape objects, as well as communications. In the event of a collapse, casualties and material costs to eliminate the destruction cannot be avoided.

In addition, this type of pruning can solve the following problems:

• Eliminating the risk of infection of the entire tree if a branch is damaged due to disease or insects;
• Elimination of the source of rot, the ability to spread to the entire tree and lead to its death;
• Providing favorable conditions for the development of branches due to the influx of nutrients;
• Formation of a beautiful crown through which sunlight passes well and air currents circulate.

However, for the above to become possible, pruning must be carried out in compliance with technology in the spring (before the leaves bloom), during the growing season or after the leaves fall.

Sanitary tree pruning in Moscow

Pruning in the capital has a number of features, since it is associated with certain difficulties. The performer is obliged to strictly adhere to safety rules. The measures are aimed at ensuring that passers-by and onlookers, nearby buildings, nearby communication lines and other property are not harmed in the process.

Due to the density of buildings, it is not always possible to attract specialized equipment, so the best option is industrial climbers-arborists who use climbing equipment to climb to the top. They have various techniques that allow them to remove branches even in limited space, including when there are landscaping objects or buildings directly under the tree.

Cropping is carried out as follows: (captions for pictures)