Penn State Extension will offer Pruning for Professionals from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, at Masonic Village's Visitor Center, 1 Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown. The program is designed to teach the fundamentals of pruning shrubs and small trees in the landscape.

Participants will learn pruning theory, terminology, and plant biological response in the morning during a classroom session. The afternoon activity will be a hands-on session outdoors, where pruning theory will be applied in the field. The class is designed for landscapers, grounds managers, and wholesale nursery and garden center employees.

Participants will learn how to prune trees correctly to reduce the potential for decay; learn the difference between removal, reduction, and heading cuts; perform various types of tree and shrub pruning; thin out small flowering trees; select and use the proper tools to prune; and perform work that meets the ANSI A300 Part 1. Participants will also learn the National Tree Pruning Standards and Z133 Safety Standards. Different pruning techniques will be defined and discussed.

The program will be held rain or shine. Participants should dress for the weather and bring along pruning tools.

There is a cost to attend. The registration deadline is Friday, March 18. Registration includes lunch and two pruning reference books. For details and registration, visit http://www.extension.psu.edu and search for "Pruning for Professionals."