How Do You Prune Weeping Pine Trees?
The grace, charm and architectural characteristics of a weeping conifer, such as a pine (Pinus spp.), can add much to a landscape, especially in fall and winter. Weeping pines, depending on plant species, can become quite large. Regardless of their mature size, pruning must be done selectively and lightly, if at all, to retain the attractive form of the plant, and to ensure that the plant is structurally sound. Tip pruning can be done at any point, but major branch pruning should be done when the plant is young and less than 6 feet tall. Trim away any dead, wounded or diseased branches from the plant with a pruners, making the cut flush with the trunk where the branch meets it. Leave no more than a 1/4-inch stub. If the branch to be removed is larger than 1/2-inch in diameter, use loppers. Remove dead and diseased branches and twigs any time of year. Tip prune weeping pine tree branches, as desired for aesthetics, in late winter or early spring by snipping them back to a branch junctio