We have so much to say about properly pruning trees and shrubs! Fortunately, a lot of what we'd say about it has been already written by others, at least those parts that are applicable to all of the country.
One really good source of this information is a non-profit group called Plant Amnesty. We highly recommend reading their entertaining, yet informative articles on their website at the following link: https://pla.memberclicks.net/4-dont-s
Their organization is based in the Pacific Northwest, so some of their advice needs to be adapted to our different conditions down here in the Desert Southwest. One thing I can think of off the top of my head that is different between here and the Pacific NW, is that it is much more critical that you develop and maintain shade on the branches and trunks of trees and shrubs. We have a lot more trouble with bark getting sunburned here.
When that happens, the bark dries, changes color and cracks down into the phloem. This makes the plant more susceptible to boring insects such as the flat-headed borer. Those insects can kill a tree in a matter of a few years. The only way to really defend against them is to keep your trees and shrubs healthy.
Tree and shrub health can also decline here if the plant is excessively pruned because you are removing too much of the photosynthetic area (leaves and green bark). If the plant has too few leaves, it can't produce enough food to keep all of its self healthy. It also reduces root growth as there are hormones produced by the apical meristems (branch tips) that stimulate root growth. Fewer roots means less ability for the tree to get enough water. This is true in all parts of the country, but here in the Southwest, the climate is so unforgiving and hostile towards most trees and shrubs that they have a lot harder time recovering from such damage.
Whether you prune your plants yourself, or hire someone else to do it, please read these publications! Even print them off and show them to whoever is doing the pruning on your place. It's not just a matter of preference, it's a matter of life and death to your plants here.
One really good source of this information is a non-profit group called Plant Amnesty. We highly recommend reading their entertaining, yet informative articles on their website at the following link: https://pla.memberclicks.net/4-dont-s
Their organization is based in the Pacific Northwest, so some of their advice needs to be adapted to our different conditions down here in the Desert Southwest. One thing I can think of off the top of my head that is different between here and the Pacific NW, is that it is much more critical that you develop and maintain shade on the branches and trunks of trees and shrubs. We have a lot more trouble with bark getting sunburned here.
When that happens, the bark dries, changes color and cracks down into the phloem. This makes the plant more susceptible to boring insects such as the flat-headed borer. Those insects can kill a tree in a matter of a few years. The only way to really defend against them is to keep your trees and shrubs healthy.
Tree and shrub health can also decline here if the plant is excessively pruned because you are removing too much of the photosynthetic area (leaves and green bark). If the plant has too few leaves, it can't produce enough food to keep all of its self healthy. It also reduces root growth as there are hormones produced by the apical meristems (branch tips) that stimulate root growth. Fewer roots means less ability for the tree to get enough water. This is true in all parts of the country, but here in the Southwest, the climate is so unforgiving and hostile towards most trees and shrubs that they have a lot harder time recovering from such damage.
Whether you prune your plants yourself, or hire someone else to do it, please read these publications! Even print them off and show them to whoever is doing the pruning on your place. It's not just a matter of preference, it's a matter of life and death to your plants here.