Pruning Fruit Trees

Training and pruning fruit trees is an essential step for growing fruit successfully.  Fruit trees should be pruned every year and when you plant a fruit tree you should be dedicated to giving it the proper attention and care.  

Proper pruning gives you the best chance for good fruit.

I have apricot, peach, and apple trees in my backyard. My apple tree and apricot tree are 18 years old. I have not always pruned them every year and I pay for it when I have a poor crop. My peach tree is not that old but needs pruning nevertheless.

It is important to understand the principles of pruning and to practice them yearly.  Do not be afraid to prune. My first few years of pruning I could hardly tell I cut my trees back.  I was afraid of pruning too much. Pruning with a purpose helps eliminate the worry of cutting too much off.  The purpose of pruning is:

• Develop strong tree structure.  This should begin when the tree is planted then yearly.
• Provide light penetration. Penetration of light is essential for fruit buds to develop.
• Control tree size. Most fruit trees require pruning to control branch spread size.
• Remove damaged wood. Some wood injury occurs every year from wind, insects, and fruit weight.
• Maximize harvest.
• Balance the tree.
• Helps prevent future disease.
• Improve the health of the tree.

Pruning Tools

Pruning tools should always be clean and sharp when pruning so clean cuts are made. Cuts that result is bark tears, stubs, and jagged surfaces can be an outlet for disease and they tend to heal slowly.

Tools needed include:

1. Hand shears
2. Loppers
3. Pruning saw (fined tooth)
4. Ladder
5. Pole pruner (for areas which are too high while standing on the ground)

When to Prune

The best time to prune fruit trees is late winter or early spring just prior to the beginning of active growth.  Other considerations included:

1. Pruning during the late dormant season minimizes cold injury.
2. Any injuries will heal quickly when growth begins
3. Branches and other wood to be pruned can easily be seen since there are no leaves
4. Winter wood that is damaged is easier to see
5. The bark is less likely to tear and be damaged

Pruning Terms

1. Bearing tree is a fruit tree which has reached the stage of yearly fruit production.
2. Branch is a shoot which has developed enough and has passed through 1+ dormant seasons.
3. Bud is an underdeveloped shoot or stem.
4. Crotch or crotch angle is the angle between two branches near their point of origin.
5. Fruit spurs are short thick growth where the flowers and fruit develop.
6. Leader is a branch which is a continuation of the trunk from which scaffold branches develop.
7. Scaffold branch is one of the branches making up the basic tree framework.
8. Shoot is new growth that develops during the current growing season.
9. Sucker is a shoot arising from a root or large branch.
10. Thinning out is removal of branches at point of attachment.
11. Trunk is the main stem or body of the tree.

Pruning Different Fruits

Apple

There is a difference among apple varieties in the growth characteristics.  Some tend to grow upright and develop narrow crotches while others develop in an open pattern so less spreading occurs.  Observe your tree growth so you can assess light penetration. Insufficient light penetration will inhibit the buds to develop thus fruit growth and maturity.

Peach

Peach and nectarine trees are pruned alike. Both will bear fruit the first year. Small branches that are heavily shaded and crowded should be removed. Prune the most in the top of the tree and ends of the scaffolds. This will allow plenty of light to penetrate throughout the tree. Diseased branches should be removed when possible without damaging healthy wood which is bearing fruit.

Apricot

Apricot trees can be pruned in late winter or early spring as new leaves and flowers begin to open. During this time the tree is actively growing and thel pruning cuts heal quickly. Small wood on the trees should be thinned out to stimulate annual formation of new wood to maintain young bearing areas.

There is nothing like having fresh fruit right off the trees. We all like a crisp apple, a juicy peach, or a sweet apricot and with dedication and a little work your fruit trees with produce many years to come.

“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece” ― Claude Monet