Pruning for More Light
There are two basic methods of pruning, thinning and heading back, both of which are usually necessary at some time in the life of a tree. Thinning means to take out whole branches, and produces a more open, graceful-looking specimen. Thinning is the most important type of pruning you can do if your objective is to permit more light to reach the ground and to increase air circulation. Before pruning any branches, examine the tree and the shade pattern it casts at various times throughout the day. When thinning a shade tree, first remove any rubbing branches, or those that grow toward the center of the tree rather than outward. Never remove more than a third of the branches a year. Trees respond to severe pruning with a rush of vigorous growth which can choke the tree and make it more dense than ever. If you wish to prune heavily, do so in late June or July, when this vigorous response will be less.
If less shade is desired after these branches are removed, selectively prune away small branches before removing a major limb. Continue pruning one branch at a time until the desired amount of shade is left. No matter what size branch you are pruning, always prune at a junction of two branches, and cut flush, never leaving a stub.
Heading back involves removing the ends of the branches to create denser foliage and a bushier plant. If only part of a limb is pruned off, this practice does not reduce shade, except around the periphery of the plant; it does help create a more dense shade. The same rules that apply to thinning, in terms of cutting and amount to prune, apply to heading back.
There are some cases where the garden would benefit from the complete removal of a large shrub or tree. If the plants were placed too close to begin with, the passage of time only makes the situation worse. When deciding which plant has to go, spend some time imagining what the area will look like in its absence. If possible, have someone pull the plant as far to one side as it can go while you stand back and make a choice. This is a cautious first step that can take some of the worry out of an irrevocable decision.
