Pruning
I absolutely love pruning, whether it’s ornamental pruning of specimen trees, apple orchard pruning, or maintaining a raspberry patch. These before and after photos are meant to demonstrate some of the science and art that goes into pruning for long-term plant health and fruit production.
BEFORE - an old rose in need of pruning (toddler for scale)
AFTER - old canes have been removed, whips have been reduced, and only vigorous, healthy growth remains
AFTER - in bloom the summer following pruning
BEFORE - this Japanese maple was topped two years earlier, meaning cut back to stubs to reduce its size, and has lost its graceful architecture as a result
AFTER - careful cuts can reverse the damage done by topping, and showcase the beautiful branching structures and graceful architecture inherent to Japanese maples
Topping or hedging a beautiful tree like this one will encourage it to shoot out leggy growth to compensate, and will compromise its overall health; ornamental pruning is the answer!
BEFORE - raspberry rows on a farm in Connecticut prior to pruning
AFTER - old and spent canes have been removed, and canes that will fruit this summer have been modestly reduced to ease harvesting
careful pruning of overbearing raspberry varieties will yield two crops in one season: a summer crop on last year's canes, and a fall crop on this year's new canes
a well-tended apple orchard prior to winter pruning
a pruned orchard in winter is a beautiful sight
regular and careful pruning of apple trees encourages more flowering branches, and improves plant health by increasing airflow
periodically removing the oldest branches on highbush blueberries allows more vigorous, productive branches to take over, increasing yield
BEFORE - careful, ornamental pruning of an overgrown shrub like this Osmanthus can be a better option than shearing, and encourages a healthier branching structure
AFTER - removal of taller branches leaves a tidier shrub but maintains natural branching structures, favoring plant health
BEFORE - this red currant was pruned as a hedge, and resulting growth was tangled and congested
AFTER - minor cuts and removals allow this red currant to function as a screen, allow some light through, and continue to flower profusely every spring
a carefully-pruned red currant in full flower