Have you ever looked at a tree or shrub that was freshly pruned? Professional tree pruners do have skills, and they are able to make trees look pretty fabulous. However, doing a good pruning job is not quite as complicated as you might assume. If you'd prefer to prune your own trees, you can get good results by just following these four key rules.

Remove the whole branch

Sometimes you'll see people trim trees by just removing the ends of branches that are too long or bulky. But this way of pruning is damaging to the tree. When you remove the ends of branches, you're removing the new growth. You're also not addressing the compact growth closer to the trunk of the tree. The proper way to prune a tree is to remove entire branches. Cut them close to the trunk, leaving behind just a little nub or bump.

Less is more

You don't want to remove too many branches from the tree or shrub, as this can be hard on the plant. Less is more in the world of pruning. If you're torn between removing one branch or the two branches it is rubbing on, remove the one branch. Overall, you only want to remove what you need to remove — branches that are dead, dying, interfering with each other, or affecting the shape of the tree.

Remove thicker branches

If there are any branches that are approaching the thickness of the tree or shrub's main trunk, you want to remove them — sooner rather than later. This helps you avoid having the tree develop a "competing" trunk or a second leader. If you remove these thicker branches early, it won't be so traumatic for the tree. If you wait, it will be more of an issue.

Use clean shears

Finally, pay close attention to the equipment you use when pruning trees. Your shears need to be sharp, and they need to be clean. Trees can catch a number of diseases from dirty shears. Rinse them off with some bleach water or spray them with some ethanol; either one will kill bacteria and fungi.

Pruning trees requires some planning and care. But if you follow the four rules above, you will be off to a good start. Call a tree trimming company, such as Carpenter Costin Tree and Landscape, if you need any help. They can send someone out to take care of your trees.