North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["tanis cuff" <tanistanis@hotmail.com>]

Maybe a little late for this spring's pruning.

I recently told a novice pruner to go get the latest update of WI's 
extension publication on how to make proper pruning cuts, because it was an 
outline of Alex Shigo's recommendations.  Yes, I got the Blank Stare, but 
the pruner acquired the publication.

Shigo is (was?) an arborist who decided to research & figure out why some 
pruning cuts "heal over" while others turn into big gaping rotten hollow 
branches & trees.  You've really got to be interested in this to read one of 
his books entirely, but shorter pamphlets & publications illustrating the 
highlights are popping up everywhere.  If your local extension publication 
mentions branch bark ridge, branch collar, included bark, & excluded bark, 
you're probably on the right track.

Shigo's general recommendation on timing of pruning is "not while the leaves 
are forming or falling"-- rapid spring growth and autumn senesence.

Tanis Cuff, who is noticing how much faster the pruning cuts close since 
I've tried to follow Shigo's recommendations