Tree pruning. It's a rather scary part of landscaping for most of us, as Steve Jones relates in this Plant Man column. When I hear talk of removing limbs from trees, I'm reminded of a Three Stooges short.... In the film in question, the Stooges are tree surgeons. At one point, while the Stooges are discussing the removal of a tree limb, some people overhear them, and they mistakenly think -- to their horror -- that the Stooges are talking about amputating a human limb! Well, okay, tree pruning needn't be quite that scary. But still, to put your minds at ease, beginners at landscaping should consult this introduction to tree pruning. Steve starts with the basics, asking why we bother pruning trees at all. He proceeds to the meat of the subject, telling us, e.g., what the term branch collar means, and why that's important to know when you prune. You'll also learn about the tools of the trade.