How to prune plants

If you have the right plant for the right location and admire its natural shape, perhaps just some touch-up pruning will be necessary. Give your plants a regular once-over and prune out any dead wood to reduce insect and disease potential. For deciduous trees and shrubs, these inspections can be done during the winter or dormant season. For an in-depth look at the theory and praxis of tree and shrub pruning, watch this horticultural how-to.