Make the cut today. The ultimate purpose of pruning is to
establish a strong framework, improve growth, remove branches
that are diseased, dead or damaged and improve branch color,
flowering and fruit production. Our plant expert, Melinda Myers,
prefers to prune in late winter. The structure of the tree is
more visible at that time, so you can easily see what needs to
stay and what should be removed. But winter isn't the only time
you can prune, any time it needs to be done throughout the year
is fine, with a few exceptions, of course. Avoid pruning in
spring when leaves expand and late in the growing season.
Ultimately, though, there's no right or wrong time to prune. It
depends on your specific garden and the plants you have growing
in your yard. Once your plants are established, you will be able
to determine your own pruning schedule. Now that you know when
to prune, you need to know how to prune. It's pretty simple,
actually. When making a cut, do it right above a healthy bud or
where one branch joins ano