Making the Cut

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Later winter is the ideal time to prune many deciduous trees--that's when the tree is most likely to heal quickly without having to cope with disease and insect problems. If you're dealing with a spring bloomer, however, you might want to wait until after it flowers to prune it.
by Marie Hofer, Gardening Editor, HGTV.com

Giving your trees and shrubs a good pruning is often one of the best things you can do for them. Pruning—properly done—invigorates a tree, shrub or plant, improving air circulation, removing dead or diseased growth, and increasing flower and fruit production. But bad pruning moves—tree-topping, flush cuts, ripped bark—can head your tree into unattractiveness, if not outright decline. In the links below you'll find some sage advice for how to prune so that your tree or shrub looks and feels better than ever.

The Essentials

Pruning 101
Pruning Tips
Pruning Equipment
Making the Cut
Perfectly Proper Pruning
Tree Surgery
Healthy Pruning Habits
Pruning Pointers
Tree Pruning
Taming Your Roses
Crape Myrtle
Pruning a Rhododendron

Looking for Trouble

As Trees Mature
Spotting Unhealthy Trees
Need a Tree Expert

Pruning in Other Seasons

Spring Pruning
Early Spring Chores
Spring and Summer Pruning
Spring Considerations

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A critter emerges out of yew, an evergreen that requires pruning only once or twice a year.
Seeking a Different Look

Pruning doesn't have to be all work and no play. For the right type of plant, shearing can create a work of art.

Hedge Art
The Art of Espalier
Topiaries: Training and Maintenance
Animal Attraction