PlantLife Online

We often get questions regarding how much should I, or can I prune out of my trees and shrubs?

The general rule for horticulturalist and arborist is no more than 25 percent of living tissue should be removed in a single growing season. Energy reserves are stored in branches, stems, trunks and roots. Removing too much of a woody plants living tissue reduces the ability of the plant to photosynthesize and store more energy. Over pruning can lead to adventitious growth in the form of water sprouts and suckers in an attempt to replace the lost stored energy. Continued over pruning can also reduce the plants ability to defend off insects, disease and fungi which may lead to the eventual decline of the tree or shrub.