One of the simpler but important pruning strategies involves the three D's: Remove any plant parts that are dead, diseased and dying.
Start with the three 'Ds' – dead, damaged, and diseased. Next, look for branches that are rubbing, or those weakly attached.
In pruning texts and articles you'll often see references to the 3 D's. This stands for dead, damaged, and diseased wood. All three types are harmful to your plant and should be removed. Diseased wood presents a particular challenge, because you only want to remove the branches and sections of plant that are infected.
LaRene Bautner from Millcreek Gardens demonstrates a trimming tutorial with focus on the “3 D's for pruning” : Dead, Diseased, Damaged.
Prune to completely remove dead, damaged and diseased limbs (the 3Ds) Prune to completely remove limbs that are crowing inward to the centre of the tree or crossing and rubbing against another branch (CAC rule)
The Five D's are any branches that are Dead, Dying, Damaged, Diseased and Deformed. The Five D's (prune these branches at any time) Video Vignette (See it live!)
The 1/3 rule for pruning shrubs refers to the practice of cutting about 1/3 of wood or a branch. This approach is applied to fully established shrubs and small trees. This is done at this stage since the established shrubs and plants are past their transplant shock.
Common methods include maintenance pruning to remove dead or diseased branches, crown reduction pruning to reduce the overall size, and thinning pruning to improve light and air penetration within the tree's canopy. Each method serves different purposes and should be chosen based on the tree's requirements.
Group 3: Cut back one-in-three of all stems to ground level annually. Prune spent flower stems back to vigorous sideshoots further down the plant. Group 5: Cut back all stems to ground level to encourage a flush of new growth.
The 1/3 rule involves cutting about 1/3 of wood during any pruning activity. This kind of moderate pruning is like giving your shrubs a good balance – it thins them out a bit and encourages new growth.
Get the angle right
Make cuts at an angle of 45°, so that the top of the cut slants away from the bud and in the direction that the bud is pointing. This minimises surplus tissue that might rot, and helps the top of the stem to shrug off water, directing it away from the delicate bud.
Most people don't distinguish between these techniques since both are used to remove unwanted plant growth. However, pruning is the focus of this discussion. Pruning is the process when individual branches are cut selectively. Shearing is the process when all branches are cut indiscriminately.
• ABCs Method. – A- Assess the Tree. – A- Apical Dominance. – B – Bad Branches. – C – Competing.
Clematis in Group 1 can be left unpruned. Clematis montana is a popular variety as it flowers reliably and requires no pruning, so is one of the easiest Clematis to grow.
Group 1 clematis
These early-flowering clematis burst into bloom in winter and spring on the previous year's growth. This group doesn't need pruning, but you can remove old or damaged stems after they have finished flowering, if needs be.
Group 1 (sometimes called Group A) These clematis vines burst into bloom in spring—they'll be the first clematis vines to flower in your region. This early flowering occurs on old wood—stems that were formed during last year's growing season. The time to prune these clematis is after they flower.
When pruning a tall tree to reduce its size, pruning cuts should be made just above lateral branches that are at least one-third the diameter of the branch being removed. Make the cuts at a 45-degree angle, sloping away from the center of the tree.
Drop-crotching, a form of thinning used to reduce the size of large trees, involves the removal of a main branch (or leader) by cutting it back to a large, lateral branch (Fig. 8a). The cut through the main branch is made parallel to the angle of the remaining lateral.
Make pruning cuts just outside the branch collar to avoid damaging the trunk and compromising wound responses. Improper pruning cuts may lead to permanent internal decay.
Do not prune deciduous shrubs in late summer. Pruning shrubs in August or early September may encourage a late flush of growth. This new growth may not harden sufficiently before the arrival of cold weather and be susceptible to winter injury.