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Example 12

Before pruning

before pruning

Upright stems originating from the lower 5 feet of the trunk are growing into the portion of the tree that will become the permanent nursery canopy. These need to be shortened to allow branches in the canopy to spread.

After pruning

after pruning

Several upright stems were shortened using heading cuts. All shortened branches are temporary in the sense that they will be removed from the tree before marketing it. The tree now has a great dominant central leader. Note that no low branches were removed from the tree, but they were shortened.