Effects of Pruning and Fertilizers on Establishment of Bareroot Deciduous Trees

Bareroot deciduous trees of 11 species were planted with 0, 15, 30 or 45% of the tops removed immediately following planting. A total of 528 trees were evaluated over a 2-year period. Top pruning had no effect on survival or initiation of growth of any species except pecan which was slightly slower to break buds when the tops were not pruned. Likewise, adding fertilizer to the soil surface following planting had no detrimental effect to survival or initiation of the 6 species tested. There was no advantage of the indiscriminate pruning of tops of bareroot deciduous trees at planting time and pruning more than 15% of the top appeared to be detrimental to the structural development and natural form of the species. Apparently the moisture stress from leaving the entire plant top intact is offset by the more rapid development of a supporting root system from the additional carbohydrates produced.