Whilst it is great for the overall health and longevity of a tree to prune it whilst it is young, there are pitfalls to pruning a young tree incorrectly. With especially young trees, under the age of 3 years, you should refrain from pruning any branches that are not dead or broken. If you are flippant with your pruning then you can cause damage that stays with the tree for its life span. Trees don’t heal in the same way we humans do. Be sure to always cut with a specific purpose. This will help to avoid over-pruning and placing unnecessary stress on the young tree.