Planting Specifications
This section should help you to read and create planting specifications
Why Prune?
Remove dead wood
Increase safety
Increase resilience to storms
Increase clearance underneath
Topiary
Promote Fruiting
Increase airflow and reduce fungal infections
Hedging
Improve aesthetic
Pleaching
Structural Pruning - Reduction Cuts
The objective is to reduce the size of the tree without compromising its future structure. It can be performed after a tree has already become larger than desired. This might be performed for aesthetic reasons but also for safety. By bringing foliage back in closer to the centre of the tree you are reducing the forces applied to the branch. This can be a good way to reduce chances of limb loss in storms.
In this method we cut back to a union where another branch starts or right back to the trunk.
Promoting Fruiting
Can be used to increase yield and also to increase the yield in spots that are easy to pick.
Technique - Small Aesthetic Trees
Ensure tools are sharp and fit for purpose. Clean all tools between specimens.
Pruning immediately above the collar
Prune off deadwood
Prune out diseased matter
Create consistent form or habit
Standard spacing between branches
Reduction cuts to bring in branches
Remove branches that are more than 60% of diameter of trunk
Copartmentalisation
Session Outline
Why prune?
Methods of pruning
Reduction pruning
Aesthetic pruning
Fruiting promotion
Resources
Australian Standard 4373-2007 Pruning of Amenity Trees - Standards Australia
Plant Specifications Database - James Urban