Intro:
Before you begin
Step 1:
Understand your
plant's needs
Step 2:
When to Prune
Step 3:
Rescue Nip-One-One
Step 4:
Thinning
Step 5:
Redirecting
Step 6:
Cope With Headings
Step 7:
Get formal!

2torial #0900: Learn2 Prune Bushes and Small Trees   It's time to nip it in the bud! When you think about the two sayings about Mother Nature: (you can't fool her, and don't mess with her), it's enough to scare most people away from going toward a bush or small tree with a pair of scissors in hand. Not to fear: we'll show you how to tackle the basics of pruning small trees and bushes. Before you know it, you and Mother Nature will be skipping down the garden path hand in hand. The first thing you need to do is understand a plant's energy patterns: they need air and light to keep them happy and healthy. When a plant's branches are too compact, those branches don't receive the air and light they need, and disease starts to appear. Moisture starts sitting on the leaves and bark, and fungus and bacteria take hold. Sound gross? It is. That's why you need to prune. You need to get rid of dead things, sickly stuff and thin out the bushes. You want to ensure that heavy snow or rain can pass through the spaces and not land on the branches. Give the branches some space! Your goal is to help the plant grow and to look great--not to chop down the entire bush with wild abandon. Remember when you were little and trimmed your bangs? Don't make the same mistake. Be conscientious and study your plant before you even pick up the shears. This 2torial teaches you how to prune bushes and the bushy part of small trees over four years old. These steps do not apply to fruit trees--they're in a whole little world of their own--or large trees, which require a completely different cutting technique.   Step 1