PRUNING

QUESTION
I have several salix integra hakuro nishiki plants. They are new this spring and are growing well. They are getting leggy but I don't know how to prune them properly. Please give me some help.

ANSWER
Thank you for your enquiry regarding your Salix integra hakuro nishiki.
Correct pruning at this stage will help to maintain your tree’s health, vigour and regulate it’s size and shape. In order to achieve these benefits pruning should take place each year.
Remove any dead, damaged or diseased wood Remove any weak or crossing branches
Make sure all your pruning cuts are clean to prevent disease entering the tree through the damaged stems, so always use good quality, sharp tools for this job. Remember that when you are cutting out damaged or diseased growth always cut back to the healthy wood.
You can start some light pruning between now and early autumn (depending on the climate) but try not to prune much later than this as there will not be much more new growth this year. The best time to prune is in the spring time depending on the climate of course! At this time of year when you will get plenty of new pink growth.
When cutting back a stem cut above a strong, healthy bud or shoot. Cut neither too far from the bud, which leaves an opportunity for disease to enter, or to close which could damage the bud itself. As with all pruning, care should be taken not to spoil the tree’s natural growth characteristics.