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Fruit Tree Mini Series #3 0f 6

Proper pruning of fruit trees in the summer and winter ensures healthy growth and bountiful harvests!

Why we prune?

  1. To remove the dead, diseased and damaged for proper tree growth.

  2. Improves quantity and quality of fruit trees.

  3. Good shaping works with tree’s natural growth and helps develop a strong structure.

  4. Pruning maximizes fruit production

  5. Increased air circulation and sunlight.

  6. Encourages good branch angles.

When to prune?

  1. Damaged, diseased wood and suckers should be promptly pruned, no matter what time of year.

  2. Late January through early March for annual pruning. Before buds begin to swell. Pruning cuts will also heal most quickly during the spring growing season to follow.

  3. Never prune in the fall or early winter (October through December).

  4. Never prune during rain as this can spread disease.

  5. Summer pruning in August's heat (summer dormancy) is important for limiting excessive growth and water sprouts.

What is needed for pruning?

  1. Gloves

  2. Rubbing alcohol for sterilizing tools which will need to be done when moving from tree to tree. Sterilizing helps reduce the risk of transferring diseases.

  3. Pole Pruner if dealing with taller trees

  4. Pruning Shears for branches up to 1 inch

  5. Loppers for branches up to 2 inches

  6. Pruning saw if cutting thicker than 2 inches

How to prune?

  1. First, asses the tree by walking around and seeing what needs to be done.

  2. Start with the 3 D’s (Dead, Diseased and Damaged) When cutting, make sure you cut at a 45 degree angle. You don’t want to risk water pooling and damaging your tree.

  3. Remove suckers and water sprouts at the base of your tree. These won’t grow fruit and end up taking all your tree’s energy.

  4. Thin out overcrowded branches that are growing inward, crossing with other branches, competing for center (You only want one center branch growing up), or branches rubbing against one another.

  5. Don't prune off fruiting spurs on apples, pears, apricots, and plums. On peaches, thin fruit-bearing wood under 12” long. Ideal fruitwood on peaches should be 12-18” long and pencil-thick.

  6. Last comes the shaping of the tree. You’ll want to shape the fruit tree into a canopy or modified central leader form. Encourage horizontal branches rather than vertical.

  7. Don’t forget to compost or dispose of your branches properly

*Limb Spreaders can be used to help direct branches in the direction you’d like them to grow and it helps open trees up more.*