First, make sure your pruners are sharp and clean.

First, make sure your pruners are sharp and clean.

 

Make a slanting cut about a quarter-inch above a bud. In addition to being the best spot to stimulate new growth in the bud below, it leaves fewer stubs, and the slant dries out faster after a rain.

 

Avoid pruning too close to a bud. The tender part of the bud will be too near the cut, may not receive enough sap, and dry out.

 

Freezing temperatures may damage it, too. If you prune too far from the bud, the dead stub will rot and look ugly. The rot can spread easily to the rest of the tree. This is especially true for roses.

 

When cutting off dead branches, always cut back to a live bud or branch so no dead wood will be left on the plant. Don’t make a flat-topped cut; it’s stubby and unattractive, and slow to dry out after a rain, inviting rot and disease.