A properly pruned tree looks as natural as possible; the tree’s appearance reflects its fundamental form and character.

Tree Pruning priorities

1. Maintain the health of the tree
   1. remove all dead, dying, and diseased limbs
   2. remove crossovers, which can rub together and damage limbs and harbor disease
   3. remove hazardous branches before they fall
   4. correct and repair damage.
2. Raise the canopy to increase pedestrian, vehicular or visual zone.
3. Rejuvenate the tree by the removal of old wood in such a way that encourages the formation of new wood (remove no more than 1/3 of the wood in one year).
4. Improve the aesthetic quality of the tree and, thus, its value.
5. Slow the tree’s growth by timely removal of foliage (but best to select the right plant for the site).
6. Fruit trees:
   1. increase fruit production
   2. develop strong 45-degree angles to support the fruit load
   3. remove limbs that grow down or straight up
   4. maintain tree size (5 to 10 feet is ideal size for a home orchard in terms of accessibility)
   5. maintain fruit spurs.