The act of planting a deciduous tree, particularly one you know will get quite large, comes with thoughts of the size and grandeur it will achieve over time. Knowing what a tree can become fills us with optimism and hope. All of us want to get it right, taking care in planting to make sure our new tree gets off to a good start. Conventional wisdom—and even some experts—tell us not to prune at the time of planting. This has merit. Pruning adds strain at a time when the tree isalready overcoming the stresses of the planting process. That said, gardeners have a unique opportunity moments before a tree goes in the ground. Every part of the tree is accessible, and structural defects can easily and quickly be corrected. Many experts, myself included, are now advocating for at least some pruning at the time of planting, as long as it's seasonally appropriate (avoid late-season pruning) and you don't go overboard (remove no more than 40 of the canopy).
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