With most of the vegetables finally in and the woodchuck remaining scarce, I have been turning to pruning. Pruning is the selective removal of branches to improve the health and appearance of trees and shrubs.

It is not shearing, which is usually done with electric trimmers to turn plants into unnatural shapes and is a crime against nature.

If pruning a flowering plant, it is best to prune right after the plant's blooms have gone by. That allows the buds for next year's flowers plenty of time to set on the remaining branch.

With lilacs, which have just finished blooming, you want to remove the fattest, oldest stems right at ground level.

With crab apples, you cut out branches that are rubbing or crossing with other branches, those that are heading straight up in the air or extending too far out to the side.

On most plants you want to remove some of the interior branches so that light will get into the center.

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