Prune trees when they are young. A tree that is arriving from a reputable nursery will not need pruning within the first year. However, by year two or three, some pruning will be required.

The '3 Cs of pruning' rule . Follow these three impressive pruning rules and watch your plants thrive this summer ...

Late June through August is prime time for summer pruning here in Marin. By then, the trees have put most of their energy ...

A maple tree produces multiple branches from its main trunk or large lateral branches — prune these back to the base of the branch you wish to remove. You will not hurt the tree.

When to prune is complicated question, said Fournier, as lots of species of tree don't follow the rules. That said, there are a couple of general guidelines to follow.

A: Lilac trees should be pruned immediately after they finish blooming in the spring. If you prune before they bloom you will be removing the wood on which the plant will bloom.

Growing Things: Prune trees to stave off black knot Q: We have a very large chokecherry tree and it has what appears to be black knot on several branches higher up on the tree.