Biggest Pruning Mistakes And How to Avoid Them

Learn how to avoid the 3 biggest mistakes when it comes to pruning. Knowing how, when and where to prune is key when it comes to maintaining your trees and shrubs. In this video, Joe Lamp'l shows you how to avoid costly pruning mistakes, and what you need to do to keep your plants and trees looking their best. Next - check out Joe's Pruning playlist: • Pruning
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Joe Lamp’l, the “joe” behind joe gardener is the creator, host and executive producer of public television’s Growing a Greener World. Watch episodes of his Emmy Award-winning show on our sister channel, GGWTV ( / ggwtv .

[@jovanmonroe461]

I had to subscribe after this. There’s so many video not as descriptive. 😩 Thanks! 🙌🏾

[@joegardenerTV]

Thank you!

[@imacatlover1]

Wow. Thanks for an excellent video. I' m with Suzanne. I've pruned for years, and didn't know this about anvil pruners. No wonder I dull the blades on my bypass pruners. And I didn't know that about the difference between plants whose buds are across from each other or alternating. THANK YOU!

[@kymberlydawn1445]

Honestly the most informative pruning video out there! Thanks!

[@michaeldougfir9807]

Wow. This is an unusually clear pruning Video. I do wish to submit though, that this is not tree pruning if that is what you are looking for. I have been an arborist since the 1980s. It's not always easy to clarify for people that tree work is not gardening. And gardening knowlege is not geared for tree work. In tree work your first three lessons are •Make proper cuts. The three step cut has a purpose. •Don't ever leave stubs when pruning a tree. Stubs die, dry & crack. It is an open door for pathogens to get in and attack the tree. •Be sure not to tear bark when pruning on a tree. See the 3 step cut, which helps to avoid bark ripping.

[@joegardenerTV]

Thanks Michael. You're right that this video is geared towards shrub pruning. And I totally agree regarding the 3-cut approach to cutting tree limbs and branches. In fact, we have a video being posted very soon that is about how to make this cut properly for all the reasons you mention. Thank you.

[@goshhowhorrible8340]

I've was an arborist for over 10 years and now I'm in horticulture. I believe there are many similarities between tree thining and shrub pruning. The main difference from my point of view is the knowledge of when to cut (shribs that bud on new or old growth, cutting fruit trees in late summer rather than whem in dormancy, etc)

[@jimblair7724]

i just how happy i was to find this . Thank you Master man !

[@ershad94]

It is amazing how clear and easy to understand this video is. Thanks Joe :)

[@joegardenerTV]

Thanks, Ershad!

[@joannedavidson528]

Brilliantly clear video. Thank you so much.

[@SuzanneASutton]

Excellent video, I learned things I never knew, after years of pruning. The video was so clear, you could see exactly where to cut, and the tools to use. Please do more! I found the music a little loud and distracting, but that's a small matter compared to how well done this is. Can you show us how to prune fruits? I would love to see something similar done with berries and fruit trees. So many videos will hold up a blueberry branch, for example, and say "You can see that this is weak, while this one is strong," and it is not easy to see the difference due to lighting or whatever. I would love to see Joe teach us that with the same excellent caliber of video that this is. Thank you for this.

[@joegardenerTV]

Hi Suzanne. Thank you so much for the kind words here and your feedback and suggestions for future videos. And also about the music. Very helpful to know. Thanks again!

[@SuzanneASutton]

Thank you, Joe. I felt bad commenting about the music because I think that is so personal, and I tend to focus so much that music distracts me in a lot of places. And I felt it was a bit like telling someone who has handed you an amazing gift, "I don't like the ribbon you used on the wrapping." Rude! But seriously, the caliber of this is so high, like all you do. Not just the awareness of lighting and camera focus and all of those aspects that make your work a huge 'cut above,' but you kind of climb into the situation, and ask yourself, "what do viewers know, what do they need to know, how do we best convey that?" This is why your offerings work so well for gardeners who are just beginning, or who have decades behind them. Even choice of specimen to prune. So many pruning videos choose a specimen that is surrounded by many others, so it is difficult to tell what exactly is on THIS bush, what are they cutting, and why. I have a stand of 50 year old blueberry bushes, two of which are each 8 feet high by nearly 8 feet wide, and from other online videos I still can't exactly tell a weak branching of twigs from a strong one. They hold it up in a view that isn't clear, and just say "you can easily see that this one is weak," and I'm thinking, "no we can't, please tell us!" This is the kind of thing you guys would never leave your viewer wondering, because of your ability to climb into the viewer's mind and experience. Thank you for all of it. Discovering all that you have here, I'm like a little kid on Christmas morning.

[@joegardenerTV]

Suzanne Sutton wow. I should have sent you a reply to this extra kind information you provided here Suzanne! Such great feedback and I so appreciate the depth of your reply. So helpful to my team and me as we strive to continue to put out helpful content. I very much appreciate this! Thank you!!

[@cassie8839]

Thanks This was informative.

[@notlisztening9821]

Why would you leave a quarter inch of the branch in the last part of the video, instead of cutting it all the way back to the sidebranch? Doesnt this introduce a weakness, since it wont be able to heal properly?

[@drpantastic1969]

I'm still baffled.what about non flowering shrubs is it the same rule.my plant is in the wrong spot. It's super bushy it's about 1.5 mtrs across 2mtrs up the height is ok it looks like a Christmas tree shape but is clashing with plans I planted too close.any tips would be great.i was about to just cut it however after watching your video I've learned maybe not to cut it in spring?

[@justinv6941]

Joe, thank you. Great, informative video!

[@SeanSpellblade]

Very nice video. I've watched a lot of videos about pruning and so far this one's best. Channel followed.

[@joegardenerTV]

Sean CHOW thank you Sean!

[@Attikisses]

excellent, thank you!! very clear, simple and straight forward....very helpful.

[@zNaiaz]

Hello! just found this video, and it makes a lot of sense! If anyone would mind helping me tho... I have a Dracaena Lemon Lime, which unfortnuate has gotten Brown tips, due to too little water. Im unsure wether i can cut this off whenever, or if I should wait for spring?... I read somewhere to cut the tips off, because it can cause infection or damage the plant as a whole, so I just wanna get it done asap! Thank you before hand :9

[@yayydesuu3949]

Thanks for the info! Its simple and straight to the point. This helps A LOT. 😄😄

[@flairmaister]

great information but the music is extremely distracting

[@firstnamelastname9661]

how to make bougainvillea grow taller and Cypress treestrees to grow taller too

[@IRASpecialist]

Fantastic

[@marciagrant6687]

thanks!!

[@thepaperstaggering]

Instruction: oak leaf hydrangea-- don't prune it right after flowering because next year's buds have set. Dont prune before flowering because you'll cut off the flowers for the year. Soooooo, the question has still not been answered. When DO you prune oak leaf hydrangeas? I guess the answer is to only prune limbs that are too big or that are not in-keeping with the form that one wants.

[@joegardenerTV]

oandersontech for “oak leaf” hydrangeas, prune them right after they bloom. But you only need to do this if you want to reduce their size. Oak leaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood, which is why you prune this variety before they set new flower buds on old wood.

[@kathbiddle-dutton7069]

joegardenerTV thanks ... so this year once I see a bloom I cut back (kinda sweet as I like them dried). My oak leaf hydrangeas are getting unmanageable (just moved in) they seem to be low to grow not upright? Are there a different varieties? Is there a way to have them not spread out so much horizon but more vertical? Thanks love your podcast too 👏

[@alicenakajima6014]

Thanks for the info on the different pruner shears. By the way can you recommend a couple good pruner brands?

[@Lalatrixiebell]

From experience, Felco is the best.

[@alicenakajima6014]

Lalatrixiebell thank you!

[@Vector_Ze]

I'm not clear on why you would ever use anvil pruners. If it's dead-wood, who cares whether it's a clean cut or not?

[@joegardenerTV]

smart451cab because if you use bypass pruners on dead wood you can damage the blade. You don't want to cut dead wood with bypass pruners if you have an option.

[@Vector_Ze]

Thanks for the clarification.

[@ChaitanyaBhagwatChai]

brought to you by corona. 😂

[@jamellakhanworrell904]

Your videos are too short!