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Touchup prior to shipping

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Larger-caliper trees

branch management illustration

Work the canopy to space branches apart by removing or shortening nearby branches (removal is shown at the three arrows). Shortening instead of removing keeps the canopy looking fuller. Low temporary branches are typically removed entirely by the third and forth year. All limbs lower than the lowest scaffold will eventually be removed in the landscape as the tree grows. Prepare the tree for this by reducing the upright portion of most branches.