You might feel a bit overwhelmed when you look into their yard this coming spring and see all the work that needs to be done. During the winter months there may have been snow damage and or wind damage that has caused trees and bushes to change quite a bit. Most everyone will begin to prune their trees and bushes in the spring and although this is a good thing for the plants and trees, it can be a daunting and scary task for the person doing it, especially pruning the trees. If you need a little guidance along the way, here are a few tips for tree pruning for beginners. In order to prune a live limb on a tree you need to locate the branch collar that grows from the stem tissue at the underside of the base of the branch. On the top side of the branch you will find what is called a branch bark ridge that runs parallel to the branch angel. You should begin your cut just outside the branch bark ridge. Be sure to angle your cut down and away from the stem of the tree. This simple step will help to ensure that the cut will heal and the tree will continue to grow in a healthy manner. When you have small limbs on the tree you are pruning, you can use pruning shears, but for the larger branches you should use a pole-saw pruner. It can be quite risky to cut large limbs off a tree and this is where tree pruning can become dangerous. It is a good idea to wear a hat of some sort, perhaps even a hard hat if you have one somewhere lying around, to keep yourself from getting injured...