Pruning and Plant Training Flashcards
6 cards from real CH practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Pruning and Plant Training flashcards as text
What is the correct location to make a pruning cut when removing a branch from a tree?
Answer: Just outside the branch collar
Cuts made just outside the branch collar preserve the wound-compartmentalization tissue that the tree uses to seal the wound and prevent decay.
Which pruning cut removes a branch back to a lateral branch or bud, encouraging outward growth?
Answer: Thinning cut
A thinning cut removes a branch to its point of origin at a larger branch or trunk, maintaining natural form and redirecting growth without stimulating dense regrowth.
Topping a tree (indiscriminate cutting of main branches) is considered harmful primarily because it:
Answer: Creates large wounds that decay and stimulates vigorous watersprouts
Topping leaves large, poorly sealed wounds prone to rot and triggers rapid, weakly attached watersprout regrowth that creates long-term structural hazards.
The best time to prune spring-flowering shrubs such as lilac (Syringa spp.) in the US is:
Answer: Immediately after flowering
Spring-flowering shrubs set their flower buds on old wood during summer; pruning right after bloom preserves next year's buds while still shaping the plant.
What is 'deadheading' in ornamental horticulture?
Answer: Removing spent flowers to promote reblooming
Deadheading is the removal of faded or spent flowers to redirect the plant's energy from seed production to continued flowering.
Espalier is a plant training technique that involves:
Answer: Training plants flat against a wall or fence in a two-dimensional pattern
Espalier trains woody plants flat in horizontal, fan, or geometric patterns against a support, saving space and often enhancing fruit production through improved light exposure.