Top cloud pruning tips

1 I’ve cloud pruned lots of conifers and evergreens and the method’s the same – take it slowly and keep assessing the shape of the branches on all sides of the tree. If you’re working with conifers, put a sheet down first to prevent the needles

2 scattering everywhere. Remove one branch at a time, starting with congested ones and keep standing back to ensure you’re not

3 creating bare patches. Strip the foliage from along the branches you’re planning to keep, leaving

4 just the tips to develop. Prune them to allow a ball shape to form. Then trim the ball regularly to maintain a neat shape. My one exception is pyracantha, which I allow to produce its clusters of berries, then chop it back in spring.