Okay, so I’ve got this kousa dogwood tree in my backyard, and it was starting to look a little… wild. It was getting all bushy and some of the branches were crossing over each other. It definitely needed a good pruning, but I was a little nervous ’cause I didn’t want to mess it up. I’ve killed plants before, you know? So, I did some digging around, watched a few videos, and felt like, “Alright, I think I can do this.”
Getting Started
First things first, I waited until the right time. From what I read, late winter or early spring is best for pruning these dogwoods, before the new growth really starts. You want the tree to be dormant, so it’s not like you’re shocking it too much.
Then, I made sure I had the right tools. I got myself:
- Pruning shears: These are the smaller ones, good for snipping thinner branches.
- Loppers: These have longer handles, for more leverage on thicker branches.
- Pruning saw: For anything the loppers couldn’t handle.
I also made sure all my tools were sharp and clean. I wiped them down with some rubbing alcohol to disinfect them. Didn’t want to spread any diseases to my tree!
The Pruning Process
I started by just standing back and looking at the tree. Kinda like an artist assessing their canvas, I guess. I wanted to get a sense of the overall shape I was going for. I knew I wanted to:
- Remove any dead or damaged branches. Those are easy to spot – they’re usually discolored or brittle.
- Get rid of any branches that were rubbing against each other. That can create wounds and let in diseases.
- Thin out the crown a bit to let in more light and air.
I started with the dead branches. Easy peasy. Just cut them back to the base, where they met a healthy branch or the trunk. Then I tackled the crossing branches. I had to decide which one to keep and which one to go. I usually chose to keep the one that was growing in a better direction, contributing more to the overall shape I wanted.
For thinning out the crown, I took it slow. I didn’t want to take off too much at once. I’d make a cut, step back, look at it, and then decide if I needed to take more. It’s kinda like getting a haircut – you can always take more off, but you can’t put it back on!
When making cuts, I learned to cut just outside the “branch collar.” That’s the slightly swollen area where the branch meets the trunk or a larger branch. You don’t want to cut flush with the trunk, because that can damage the tree. Leaving that little collar helps it heal properly.
The Aftermath
It took me a couple of hours, but I finally finished. Honestly, the tree looked so much better! It was more open, had a better shape, and just looked healthier overall. I cleaned up all the branches I’d cut off, and I watered the tree really well to help it recover from the stress of the pruning.
I’m definitely no expert, but I felt pretty good about the whole thing. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. And now I’ve got a happier, healthier kousa dogwood, and I can proudly say, “I did that!”
