pruning a tree/bush in my front yard

[bugdry]

I am new to all the gardening stuff. Other then cutting the lawn and such. Can someone give me some advice on what I shoudl do to trim the tree/bush in my front yard as shown in the picture. I have added a nice big flower garden where the gravel area is by the driveway and now the tree needs to be dealt with.

Thanks

[B_BQ]

It's hard to see from the picture, but what tree is it? Or is it a shrub? Does it produce flowers or berries?
Can you take a closer pic for us, with maybe a good close-up pic of a leaf.
Most shrubs can be trimmed, and some trees, but with a tree you have to be more careful.
~BBQ

[conniepr]

Knowing how to trim trees and shrubs has been my most difficult learning curve as a beginner gardener taking over a lot with many trees and shrubs. Even after all my studying, I go out there with my tools, stand in front of the tree/shrub and... don't know where to start. One thing I have to keep reminding myself is to not just cut to shape the outside, but to also cut branches out from the centre so that there is some sunshine getting in towards the middle, and cut out branches that are growing into other branches. Each cut is torture because if you get it wrong, you can't put it back. Good luck!

[conniepr]

Would love to see a picture of the new garden...

[bugdry]

ok, i foound out today its a mulberry. The garden doesnt have the flowers in it yet. I just picked them up today. I was waiting to let the kids help pick them.

[B_BQ]

Ah, not a weeping mulberry. I had a weeping mulberry at my last house. I used to have to get inside it every year and trim off all the dead stems from inside. I would also cut each outside stem back to a leaf nodule. It used to get enormous and weep all over my patio!! lol

I think if it was me I would take off the bottom layer, (just one layer), so that no branches were resting on the ground. Then you could cut back each stem to a leaf nodule, shaping it as you go, i.e. take less from the bottom and more from the top, or to whatever shape you want it.

I would be hesitant to take any of the leader trunk off though. You could kill it.

~BBQ

[bugdry]

Ummm I don't know what a leaf module or leader trunk are...sorry new to this stuff.

[B_BQ]

At each leaf along the stem there is a little swelling. This is a nodule. Just trim the stem back to close to a leaf. Just take off a little to start with. Looking at your shrub/tree I would think about 8 inches or thereabouts to start with.

The leader is the main trunk stem. Some trees don't take kindly to having it chopped off to make the tree shorter. I don't know which trees don't care. Most shrubs don't care.

I was having some tree trimming done once and the trimmers decided to shorten a beautiful birch tree I had in my front garden. They chopped about 12 feet straight off the top. The poor birch tree died!

I suggest you google something like "How to trim a mulberry" or "Trimming trees and shrubs" - something like that, and go from there.

Nice new planting space you've made there.

~BBQ

[bugdry]

Awesome thanks. Will try that.

Yep put some plants in. its looking great so far.

[bugdry]

the garden...now to work on the mulberry