Question
How and when do you prune?  We have a 1 year old shamel that is about 12 tall and extremely top heavy.  It has three lone branches at its middle.  Should these three low branches be pruned off, or left alone?

Answer
Leave it alone--pruning it now may harm it. The tree will grow  and one of the branches will become the main leader and the trunk. This tree is too young to prune. Shamel ash is better left alone and only pruned if a lower limbs may interfere with moving under the tree--which will be much later.