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Probably the most enjoyable maintenance activity, it’s at the pruning stage that the gardener turns into a horticultural architect. They decide if the tree is to produce fruit or be strictly ornamental, what it will look like and what branches will become productive. There are numerous books that deal with the subject of pruning, but once we pass from the theoretical to the practical, we’re faced with a tangle of the branches and twigs and the clarity of the illustrations disappears. While some pruning activities are unique to each species, the basic rules are the same for all fruit trees. |
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The basic rules |
The goal of pruning is to increase the vigour and yields, to shape and maintain a pleasing and practical structure for the harvest. Give the trees simple structures that will stay in the desired perimeter. The following ten steps will help you along the way:
- Eliminate all the dead, diseased, withered and interlaced branches, as well as the suckers (rapid growing vertical branches). This stage will allow you to open up the structure that needs to be shaped.
- Don’t lose sight of the fact that air and light are essential to your fruit trees. Both must be able to freely circulate around the tree. So, make sure that the basic framework of the trees is open and that there is ample space between the branches.
- Keep the structure to a strict minimum. Avoid leaving a large number of framing branches otherwise, there will be too many fruit-bearing branches as well as a lack of light and air circulation.
- Start shaping in the year following the tree’s planting, as that’s the time to form the structure that will lead to the mature tree. If you wait too long to begin, you’ll only have to do the additional work at a later date.
- Keep the fruit producing branches as near as possible to the framing branches. Don’t let them grow for no reason as they may break off under the weight of the fruit. Remember that the tastiest fruit comes from the younger fruit-bearing branches.
- To avoid affecting the tree’s vegetative balance, retard fruit production and encourage sucker growth, don’t prune off the first year branches.
- Maintain the trees’ size and shape, as there’s a relationship between graft vigour, variety, soil quality and the space that you’ll need to allocate. Also, remember that tall trees make fruit harvesting more difficult and dangerous.
- Since growth is more vigorous at the treetops, you’ll need to control it by keeping the branches short at the top and progressively longer as you move downwards.
- Fruit tree reactions can be controlled in two ways: vigorous branch growth will be activated by severe pruning, while abundant fruit growth will be assured by light shaping.
- Adapt your pruning activities to the cultivar type. While the above-mentioned recommendations are valid for most fruit trees, it remains that certain exceptions exist according to the species.
In the following, we are listing a few of these exceptions, but generally, according to your region, certain techniques may differ and it may be necessary to get advice from your horticultural retailer. |
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Apricot trees | |
Apricot trees cannot support severe pruning that leaves wounds that take time to close and which opens the door to various diseases and insect infestations. Simply remove dead or unneeded branches and bend the more vigorous suckers, as they’ll eventually become fruit-producing branches. |
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Cherry trees | |
Once the shaping cuts are finished, it’s not necessary to prune the tree on a yearly basis. The best time to prune cherry trees is in August at harvest time. Pruning is limited to chopping off the top branches to limit tree height and removing surplus and intertwined branches. |
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Peach and nectarine trees | |
Most tree growers prefer to delay pruning peach and nectarine trees until the floral buds are sufficiently developed to evaluate the winter survival rate of these buds. The rejuvenating principal is also very important. The ideal action for peach and nectarine trees consists of removing old the fruit-bearing branches that will be replaced by new ones. |
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Pear trees | |
Pear trees need only six to eight framing branches to produce good results. A light pruning is recommended for blight sensitive varieties to leave room for new framing and secondary branches. |
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Apple trees | |
The above-mentioned recommendations apply equally to apple trees. Pruning should be done in February and March. A light mid-summer pruning may be needed to remove suckers. |
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Plum trees | |
The above-mentioned recommendations apply equally to plum trees. Plum trees are pruned to rejuvenate and eliminate surplus branches. Suckers, when well located, can be bent to turn them into fruit-bearing branches. Plum trees are pruned in the spring after frost is no longer a danger. |
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Pruning fruit trees is very important to eliminate a health problem, increase fruit production or help the tree develop inside a well-defined perimeter. It’s also important to choose the right pruning tool. To help you in your choice, we suggest that you read the Pruning Tools article on this website and pay a visit to your local horticultural retailer to inquire about available models and their particular functions. |
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