Each leaf that is to be removed should be individually snipped off, taking care to leave a portion of the leaf stem behind and not to damage the dormant bud.
Its good to start with the bigger leaves and trim those first. We may want to trim off all leaves to induce a crop of smaller daintier leaves. Complete leaf removal may be spread over a number of weeks if necessary.
Watering before pruning makes leaf pruning easier but we should water less frequently after removing the leaves since the tree will be using less water until it is fully foliated again.
Avoid aggressive leaf removal if the tree is flowering, in poor health or not growing strongly. In these instances care should be taken to not further shock the tree by removing too many leaves.
