Timely form pruning of young eucalypts is quick and easy, and ensures trees develop a single straight stem. We recommend form pruning all trees in the first instance; following this you will be able to select crop trees for future form pruning and clearwood pruning operations.
Six top form pruning tips
- Reduce double-leader trees to one leader by removing the smaller or more crooked leader, or the one on the leeward side.
- Better to leave a 15mm branch stub than damage the branch collar or main stem.
- Remove or shorten any large branches (ramicorns), so the tree is well-balanced.
- Remove steep-angled branches (stem/branch angle less than 30 degrees).
- Multi-leadered or damaged trees can be cut right back almost to ground level as long as enough foliage is left for them to survive and produce a new leader.
- Try not to remove more than 40% of the total foliage; leave trees enough ‘green engine’ to grow.