Pruning Simplified

Most gardeners know that pruning — whether of raspberry bushes, house plants, roses, or apple trees — is one of the best things they can do for their plants. Done right, it can strengthen and rejuvenate a plant, encourage production of fruit, even increase the value of a home. A little knowledge of pruning, however, can be a dangerous thing, ending all too often in deformity or destruction of a beloved plant.

Now a professional nurseryman Lewis Hill has updated his classic pruning guide, giving everyone from orchard owner to indoor plant enthusiast straightforward instructions on the art and craft of pruning trees, shrubs, bushes, hedges, vines, flowers, garden plants, house plants, and bonsai.

His basic premise remains the same — pruning should be done for the right reason, in the right way, and at the right time. A little blue spruce, for example, might be pruned one way if it will serve as an outdoor Christmas tree by the front steps and another if it will grow in a row to screen out neighbors. Drawing on years of experience, Hill shows how to match method to purpose.

The book features:

More than 100 clear, easy-to-follow illustrations

An overview of pruning methods

A chapter for each tree category — ornamental, fruit, shade, evergreen, and nut

A guide to pruning tools and equipment, including safety tips

Artistic pruning — topiary, espalier, cordons, and more

The late Lewis Hill was a nurseryman for more than 55 years. He was the author or co-author of 15 books that total more than 600,000 copies in print. Lewis's Secrets of Plant Propagation was selected by the American Horticultural Society as one of their "75 Great Garden Books."

Introduction

How to Use This Book

Chapter 1 Pruning with a Clear Conscience

Chapter 2 Pruning with a Purpose

Chapter 3 Pruning Tools and Equipment

Chapter 4 Pruning Methods

Chapter 5 Ornamental Trees and Shrubs

Chapter 6 Pruning Shade Trees

Chapter 7 Pruning Evergreens

Chapter 8 Pruning Hedges

Chapter 9 Artistic Pruning

Chapter 10 Pruning Fruit Trees

Chapter 11 Pruning Small Fruits

Chapter 12 Pruning Nut Trees

Chapter 13 Pruning Vines and Ground Covers

Chapter 14 Pruning Garden Plants and Houseplants

Chapter 15 Pruning Bonsai

Chapter 16 Pruning Forest Trees

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