Pruning Principles and Techniques (Lecture Part 1)

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers concepts from the initial pruning lecture, including tool specifications, hormonal responses in plants, and the technical definitions of various pruning cuts.

Pruning Shears (Hand Pruners)

Tools best used for cutting plant material that is $3/4$ inch in diameter or smaller.

Loppers (Lopping Shears)

Pruning tools suited for branches ranging from $1$ to $1.5$ inches in diameter.

Handsaws

Manual specialized tools used for pruning larger limbs that cannot be cut with pruning shears.

Apical Dominance

The suppression of lateral bud growth by the terminal bud; removing the terminal bud releases this suppression and encourages branching.

Auxin

A phytohormone produced by the apical meristem that moves down the stem to keep axillary or lateral buds dormant.

Reduction Cut

A cut that removes a terminal portion of a main trunk or branch back to a lateral branch of equal or smaller diameter to reduce plant size.

Removal Cut (Thinning Cut)

A cut that eliminates a lateral branch back to its primary stem, ensuring the remaining part of the plant has a larger diameter than the part removed.

Heading Cut

A pruning cut that removes a branch back to a bud; if used exclusively, it can lead to dense, unnatural growth at the tips.

Rejuvenation (Renewal) Pruning

An aggressive pruning method used to 'reset' a shrub by removing old or unhealthy branches, sometimes cutting back to within $8$ to $16$ inches of the soil surface.

Branch Bark Ridge / Branch Collar

The area of connective tissue where a branch meets the trunk; pruning cuts should stay just outside this region to facilitate proper healing.

Three-Cut Method

A technique for removing large limbs using an undercut, a second cut further out to remove the weight, and a final cleanup cut to prevent bark stripping.

Topping

An unacceptable pruning practice where the outer branches of a tree are cut back indiscriminately, often resulting in poor health and aesthetics.

Crepe Murder

A slang term for the poor management practice of indiscriminately cutting back Crepe Myrtle trees, destroying their natural architecture.

Felco

A brand of hand pruners mentioned as the 'gold standard' for quality and maintenance in horticulture.

Old Wood

Growth from the previous season; spring-flowering shrubs typically form buds on this tissue, meaning early spring pruning will remove flowers.

New Wood

Current season's growth; plants that flower on this tissue can be pruned in late winter or early spring without sacrificing flowers.