Pruning Fruit Trees
Pruning is an age old technique that is used to control growth on both trees and vines. By controlling growth and removing dead or diseased unhealthy wood you may help the tree to stimulate the formation/growth of flowers and fruit. Pruning often means cutting branches back to “laterals” or back to the main stem. It may also mean the removal of some shoots, buds, or even leaves. The best time to prune unwanted shoots is always early spring just when buds begin to break open and grow, when the soft tissue can be pinched off with very little effort and little to no damage to the tree or vine. Many use pruning to best make use of sunlight when pruning fruit trees and grape vines. Some fruit growers do unfortunatly make the mistake of planting a fruit tree or vine then neglecting to prune it until it begins to show signs of bearing fruit. This is not usually the best technique for growing fruit. Carefully caring for and pruning young trees will ultimately determine their productivity and long-term health!
First Year (Whip)
A whip is a tree that is one year old or so and has no side shoots. Whips can be pruned to a bud far enough down that their will be about two buds below it just after planting. This can be done in an attempt to produce primary branches during the first seasons growth. Note that you may opt to include an extra bud or two to ensure that you get at least two buds that are viable during the growing season. A one year old tree that has already produced side branches should have its main stem pruned back leaving three or four strong branches. These branches can be shortened by two thirds of their length or so down to an upward or outward facing bud. Any shoots lower then these branches that your opting to keep should be removed flush with the stem.
Second Year
Remove any shoots lower then the main branches and prune between 3 and 5 of the best establishes branches by half to an upwards or outwards facing bud. This will help to form what will become the tree's main structural branches which will be the main fruit bearing part of the tree. Remember to remove any inwards facing shoots or branches.
Thrird Year
Prune any leading shoots off of the branches that you have selected as your main branches by half to a bud facing in the desired direction of growth. Select four good branches for growth or to fill the framework if you choose to reinforce your trees and shorten these by a half. Proceed to prune back any remaining laterals to their fourth bud to form strong fruiting spurs.
Fourth Year
The tree should begin to bear fruit at about this time and only limited pruning and maintenance is required now. Shorten leaders by one third or so and prune laterals that aren't growing to extend to your reinforcing structure, if you choose to use one, to the fourth bud.
Fifth Year And Forward
The tree should now be very well established with a strong root system and established branches. You should now proceed to perform annual pruning as described below.
First Year (Whip)
A whip is a tree that is one year old or so and has no side shoots. Whips can be pruned to a bud far enough down that their will be about two buds below it just after planting. This can be done in an attempt to produce primary branches during the first seasons growth. Note that you may opt to include an extra bud or two to ensure that you get at least two buds that are viable during the growing season. A one year old tree that has already produced side branches should have its main stem pruned back leaving three or four strong branches. These branches can be shortened by two thirds of their length or so down to an upward or outward facing bud. Any shoots lower then these branches that your opting to keep should be removed flush with the stem.
Second Year
Remove any shoots lower then the main branches and prune between 3 and 5 of the best establishes branches by half to an upwards or outwards facing bud. This will help to form what will become the tree's main structural branches which will be the main fruit bearing part of the tree. Remember to remove any inwards facing shoots or branches.
Thrird Year
Prune any leading shoots off of the branches that you have selected as your main branches by half to a bud facing in the desired direction of growth. Select four good branches for growth or to fill the framework if you choose to reinforce your trees and shorten these by a half. Proceed to prune back any remaining laterals to their fourth bud to form strong fruiting spurs.
Fourth Year
The tree should begin to bear fruit at about this time and only limited pruning and maintenance is required now. Shorten leaders by one third or so and prune laterals that aren't growing to extend to your reinforcing structure, if you choose to use one, to the fourth bud.
Fifth Year And Forward
The tree should now be very well established with a strong root system and established branches. You should now proceed to perform annual pruning as described below.
Pruning Bearing Size Trees
Spur Pruning Before pruning you should make sure to identify what type of tree your pruning. Learning the difference between spur bearing varieties, tip bearing varieties, and an intermediate bearing varieties, bearing both on spurs and on the tips. Spur bearing trees are far more rare than tip bearing tree varieties, and they bear fruit at the end of short laterals or pieces of wood or sometimes called spurs growing up to about 4 inches long. Spur bearing varieties include some apple trees and pear trees. Tip bearing trees produce most of their fruit from buds at the tips of shoots grown the previous growing season and again some apple trees and pear trees are tips bearing varieties. There are three basic types of pruning that are used once the tree has been established. These are methods include
Spur pruning: Spur bearing varieties do form spurs naturally, but spur growth can also be stimulated.
Renewal pruning: Is a technique best utilized for the strong laterals on the outside part of the tree where there is room for growth. Note that pruning long neglected fruit trees should not be done all at once. No more than one third of the pruning should be done each year.
Regulatory pruning: This is done on the whole tree and is done to keep the tree and its environment healthy. The aim of this technique is to keep the centre of the tree open so that air can circulate. Remove dead or diseased wood prevents branches from becoming over crowded and prevents any branches from crossing.
Spur pruning: Spur bearing varieties do form spurs naturally, but spur growth can also be stimulated.
Renewal pruning: Is a technique best utilized for the strong laterals on the outside part of the tree where there is room for growth. Note that pruning long neglected fruit trees should not be done all at once. No more than one third of the pruning should be done each year.
Regulatory pruning: This is done on the whole tree and is done to keep the tree and its environment healthy. The aim of this technique is to keep the centre of the tree open so that air can circulate. Remove dead or diseased wood prevents branches from becoming over crowded and prevents any branches from crossing.
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