Pruning Olive Trees

It's well into Spring -at least weather wise- here in California which means pruning.  A lot of pruning, I see branches in my sleep a lot of pruning.  Here are some tips;

• Sap rises, use this to encourage growth in desired directions
• Go fast, you'll see many options so just pick one and prune.
• The 4 D's; Dead, Diseased, Deformed, Dying
• Maintain the shape of the tree you want - don't let it get out of control
• Heavy duty tree tape - you'll use a lot in a young grove 
• Keep a flat file handy for your cutting tools, you'll use it at least daily
• Keep your tools sterile, I use clorox bleach wipes.  Fast, easy, and effective.

Snapped branch from snow.  Cut.