How to Prune (Not Kill) Trees and Shrubs

The why and how to prune your trees and shrubs with great exapmples of how trees recover when pruned corretly.

[michaeldougfir]

Hi John,
I have been an arborist since the 1980s. And I want to COMPLIMENT you on this video. Your facts are good, your demonstrations are good and you are a good speaker.

Originally I got my training with the tree department of a coastal city in California. They worked it like a college course and we were city employees. While there I saw many trees mangled by our city landscapers. I'm still not sure what they thought they were doing. But I started telling the gardeners to keep their hands off the trees! To this day I tell people, "GARDENERS ARE NOT TREE MEN AND TREE MEN ARE NOT GARDENERS!"
And that applies to me as well! Let's stick to what we were trained for.

Obviously there will be exceptions. A gardener who watches videos like this, and those of "arborist Blair Glenn" on Youtube, will be far ahead. I know a county employee here that has a degree in horticulture. Even he asks about tree pruning.

I am very happy to teach pruning to my customers and their families. I want them to believe in proper pruning. And the day will come when they will want to cut something on a tree of theirs. I want them to be happy and confident they did the cut properly when I'm there on another visit and they show me what they did. It happens several times a year.

That folding pruning saw of yours looks like a "tri edge" saw tooth pattern. They are the best.

Thanks for a good video.

Michael in
Rural Northeastern California.

[sheezabrickhouse]

That was a very valuable lesson and I can't thank you enough for taking the time out to patiently teach us the proper method and procedures. Really good teachable moment video! Salute!

[DaOneEnOnly]

@7:40 you describe in detail how to identify where the final cut should be made. This is crucial and great information! Thank you!

[_CAT-lgsr]

Thank you showing us the finer points of proper tree pruning, branch removal and the reasons for cutting where you did. Very informative.

[aaronthurman]

Great Video...I never thought about the fact that trees could heal and grow over broken stumps and encapsulate the old branches like that. Makes you really appreciate trees haha

[heathermimiwahlquist]

Aha! FINALLY -Someone explains the WHY!!! We get HOW, but, rare to find WHY...Thank you, sir!!

[Dawn-Marie]

Very informative ! I love trees and don't want to accidentally hurt or kill them ! This was such great information to go by ! Thanks

[KurtUhlir]

Thank you for explaining the “why”. It’s much easier to remember the method and even teach others when I know they rationale behind the technique.

[stevedoingstuff]

Great video. Showing those examples in the beginning really drove the point home.

[NHILLproductions]

Thanks. I need to prune a tree in my yard, and I’m clueless. Now that I’ve watched your video, I’m educated! I’ll definitely use the 3 cut method.

[Elythea]

Like you said, they show you the 3 cut method but don’t really get into why you’re supposed to do it like this. I have a pruning pole blade and was about to go to town on a bunch of trees until I saw this. So glad I took the time to learn why this method is used and how to keep the trees healthy. Thank you for all the information and example! Super helpful!

[thebehmteam]

Great Video! I never thought about the fact that treez could heal and grow over broken stumps and encapsulate the old branches like that. Make me really appreciate trees in a whole new light!

[DsVibe]

Came here just wanting to do a good job for my paying neighbor... and now I really can !!

Every single second was well expressed.

[StopBSing]

I really miss the days before internet when I could do it wrong and the Mrs was happy, now she has me watching this, thanks guy 🤣

[larryd]

Great video. It should be mandatory viewing with field experience at every school. My pet peeve is what I call" blunt stump pruning" like at 8:00. They cut a branch to the length they want it, and don't consider how it will recover or if it will. A well pruned tree should not "look pruned, " It should look more open and airy or reduced in size. My neighbor cut two 15' "Nuccio's' Camellias down to 2' stumps, and said "Oh they'll grow back." They must have been at least 40 or 50 years old and were densely foliated even on the north side. The most spectacular I'd ever seen. It will take decades for them to "recover" and by then rot will have long since set in. Redwoods are the only tree I know capable of "legacy growth." They can be cut like a telephone pole, send up a new leader to one side that will grow over the stump and a few years later the tree will look unscathed. Thanks

[nlbhaduri]

I like your demonstration on tree healing with the actual wood examples (keep in your tree pruning museum/library). I also appreciate the tool explanation (the subtle humour)….and finally, the explanation of tree terminology!

[Hmick]

Thank you this was very informative! I appreciate you explaining the why behind the 3 cut method.

[QCMatt]

I wanted to thank you for the education on the 3 cut method. I've always thought I had a pretty good idea of how to go about things when pruning my trees. I live in Arizona, and have mesquite trees that need pruning alot more than other trees I'm used to. The only way I could think to help you in return was to share your video and hit your website a few times. Thanks again, I really learned some things here that now that I know seem like common sense, but they're really not. I, like you prefer the outdoors and work in construction. Your website may have just inspired me to get a degree in horticulture and go to work for myself. Thanks again

[Kimosabe-]

YOU HAVE OPENED MY EYES TO TREES AND WOOD LIKE NO ONE AND NOTHING ELSE BEFORE. Wow. Brilliant.

[YelpBullhorn]

Many thanks for the insight. This weekend, I’m going to tidy my garden up after a local tree surgeon quoted me £800 to do it for me! That’s for pruning a 20-foot cherry tree with 90% of its branches no thicker than my big toe, for levelling off a 15-foot run of hedging, for cutting back two buddleias, and for removing some bits of ivy that are currently attempting to invade my attic.