By Emily How, Horticulture agent

NDSU Extension – Ward County

I’ve been banned from pruning alone. Now this may seem odd, a horticulture agent not being allowed to prune alone. But there are good reasons, and at the time, I was not a horticulture agent. The first time I pruned a tree, I climbed up with my saw and bypass pruners, and I balanced between branches as I cut away. No one else was home.

So, I’ve been banned from pruning alone.

Pruning woody plants is important. Pruning removes dead and damaged branches, allowing the plant to put out new growth and be rejuvenated. Pruning can also improve flower and fruit production. It can also reduce or remove diseases from your tree or shrubs. Diseases such as fire blight are best controlled by pruning out the infected branches, and powdery mildew can be reduced by increasing airflow through pruning. The pruning tools used are as important as the process itself. Using sharp, clean tools reduces the risk of injury and disease to the tree.

So, if pruning is so good for trees and shrubs, why was I banned from doing this by myself? Well, it all comes down to safety.

First of all, I was climbing the tree I was pruning, which you are not supposed to do. Branches can become unstable, and a fall from a tree can result in an injury or a visit to the hospital. There is a reason that dead tree branches are called “widow makers.” Also, in the spring, when pruning is recommended, there are no leaves to help identify if the branch is living or dead.

The other problem was my attire. I wore a sweatshirt, a pair of comfortable athletic pants and no safety glasses. There is also a chance that I was wearing my trusty gardening sandals! When pruning, appropriate safety attire includes safety glasses to prevent wood splinters or shavings from getting in your eyes, as well as gloves, long sleeves, long pants and closed-toe shoes — not sandals.

The biggest mistake I made was pruning alone. If something bad were to happen, there was no one at home to help. Pruning with a buddy also puts another set of eyes on the tree to let you know if a branch is coming down in an unexpected way. They can also alert you to other unseen hazards, such as wasp nests and holes around the tree.

Another thing to consider when pruning is proximity to power lines. When a tree is close to an overhead power line, call a professional. Also, exhaustion can set in quickly when pruning, especially if you are moving larger branches. Take plenty of breaks and drink water. It is better to leave a tree unpruned or call a professional than to put yourself in harm’s way.

This year, when pruning, remember your friendly neighborhood horticulture agent is pruning with a buddy. Make sure you are too!

NDSU Agriculture Communication – March 3, 2026

Source: Emily How, 701-857-6444, emily.how@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu