Fruits and Nuts: How NOT to prune a Tree 1: Remember Your Roots, 1 by pollengarden

pollengarden wrote:
How do you tell if the Root System is established enough for pruning?

While the new branch tips are telling the roots to grow, the new root tips are telling the branches to grow. Check to see how the branch tips are doing.

This is a picture of a cherry planted last year. The growth around 31-32 on the yardstick is last year's growth - barely an inch. The growth from 18-19 to 31 is from the year before, around a foot. The growth from the trunk out to 18 is from 3 years ago, over a foot and a half. The numbers themselves aren't important - but the fact that they are getting smaller is a concern.

This tree cannot be pruned this year. It can be pruned next year if it shows an increase in growth this year.