Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

[Richie]

Well it's been along time coming but i promised some of you on the site that i would do a step by step guide in prunning trees . Was a nice day today so i thought i would have ago at prunning my Picea Glauca conica's which i have several of .
Step 1
Choose your tree clear the lower 6" - 8" of branches with a good pair of sharp secateurs i use Felco's to make a trunk for the tree

Step 2
Starting at the bottom of the tree hold out a branch to cut ( but before you make the cut check what the branch will look like once removed ) just remember once it's cut there's no going back if it looks ok make the cut and remove the branch do this several times thinning out as you go .

Step 3
With several branches out of the way remove all the dead inner branches this will then let the light through

Step 4
Do the same as step's 2 & 3 and work up the tree

How it should look once your finished a more open look letting light through looks more like a giant red wood

Close up of removed branches and inner dead wood

Hope this will help some of you out there fill free to add photo's of your work .

 

[trammayo]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

Nice work! They are nice shapes - either as grown, or as pruned.- I'll have to get some of those!

 

[Richie]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

Nice work! They are nice shapes - either as grown, or as pruned.- I'll have to get some of those!

Cheers Mick sorry it was so long coming :impatient:let me know how you get on

 

[steinz]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

That is really good

 

[GJFREESTONE]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

That's good very realistic thanks for the demo.
Graham Shrewsbury

 

[garrymartin]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

Thats timely as I was hoping to have a go at pruning my dwarf conifers in the morning

 

[Richie]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

Many thanks for your kind comments
Graham I have a open day in June your more than welcome to come and visit I'm only a stones throw from Shrewsbury

 

[Richie]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

Good luck with your pruning Garry just remember to take your time and take it bit by bit took me about an hour to do just this one only another eight to do

 

[Richie]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

Had a chance to finish off my conifers this weekend also did some Chamaecyparis Boulevard's which look like Scot's pines .

Some more Picea pruned over the tunnal

Cham Boulevard

Through the trees we see a Shay taking on water

 

[Rod Fearnley]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

Picea Conicas ? Dwarf Alberta Spruce I think ?

 

[Richie]

Re:Step by step guide for prunning Picea Conica's into trees

Cheers for your kind comments Paul
Yes Rod is right with dwarf alberta spruce

 

[tramcar trev]

Cheers for your kind comments Paul
Yes Rod is right with dwarf alberta spruce

These do look spectacular. Just back from the garden centre without one, $120 for a 200mm pot, about 300mm high....

 

[Cyclone]

Blimey that's expensive. Nice looking plant though.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

My pruning method was to just snip off dead bits. This tree was about 11 years old when photo taken. When we can get them, our local nursery sells Dwarf Alberta Spruce 100mm pot, for $9.95-$11.95 (the big 'name' garden centres charge 3-4 times that).

 

[tramcar trev]

I found a Norwegian spruce hiding down the back of a garden centre in a 100mm pot.... It had been forgotten and looked neglected, no price, sticker had long since vanished so I offered $5 and got it.... Its about 200mm high.... I'm going to let it grow for a full year in a much larger pot (it was very root bound when I replanted it) before transferring it to the tramway. These trees really look the part...
I may play it some Grieg to see if that makes it feel at home....

 

[Gavin Sowry]

I may play it some Grieg to see if that makes it feel at home....

Or a bit of Norwegian Wood by the Beatles?

 

[Richie]

Lovely looking trees Gavin nice pruning . I work on a nursery so was able to pick mine up cheap in 2L pots , got several small 9cm pot ones from a small garden centre £1 each . Also had a 10L 3 foot tall one free from work as it had died on one side looks great against the fence .