Normal Chaos: Pruned lately?

Reasons for Pruning

To train the plant

To maintain plant health

To improve the quality of flowers and fruit

To control growth

Ever wonder if a tree likes to be pruned? Odd I know, but I am odd too so just go with me a minute. I imagine the tree doesn't much care for the practice. I mean if you were a tree you would probably be rather attached to those limbs, branches and twigs. They are yours after all and you grew them right where you wanted them. Never mind the fact that they used to have pretty blooms and sweet fruit and now it just hangs there from you drawing your energy and producing nothing. They were fruit-filled and full of blossoms at one time, so it seems a shame to part with them now. Besides, having part of you cut off and discarded must kind of hurt I would think. Yes I am sure the tree would rather have have big strong branches and I am sure the tree knows that once they get too long and thin they become fragile and want to break away. It would be safer to cut the branch back some then to allow a storm to come through and break it off at the weakest point. Allowing this would cause much more damage to the tree than pruning, but losing the limb still just doesn't seem like much fun. Bottom line is this, for the tree to remain healthy and productive over a long period of time, some pruning is going to have to take place.

I doubt the tree likes being trained much either. It would be much more fun to just grow and grow in any and all directions. Grow taller and wider and let some branches just creep across the ground and others shoot out from the trunk in all sorts of directions. Being orderly and shapely in never as much fun as being wild and unkempt. One problem with this is that the branches that are laying on the ground will begin to rot. Another problem with this for the poor tree is that if it gets too wild it will have no blooms and fruit left on it at all and therefore it will become a useless tree. Useless trees have no purpose and thus are cut down and burned as firewood. I am certain that no tree wants to end up in the fireplace.

The flip side to this issue is if the tree is well pruned. The well pruned tree will produce an abundance of flowers and fruit. A tree that is well cared for will produce aromatic blossoms and sweet fruit. A tree that is places in a good location, provided with the soil, water, sun and resources it needs and then is pruned regularly and carefully will produce huge amounts of fruit every season. This tree will have a long season of production and a long and useful life. A tree such as this is the favorite of the gardener. A tree that responds to being pruned will be placed in the center of the garden, in a position of honor as it is cared for.