Winter: In the fall, fruit trees draw the energy out of their lush green leaves and into their root systems for winter storage. Light pruning (12 inches or less) after flowering but not after July 10th (Early spring – … Timing and method of fruit tree pruning can enhance the amount and quality of your crop. This is because in the early winter, branch growth is minimal, and the tree cannot heal the wounds caused by pruning cuts. Additionally, trees that are crowded have poor fruit production, so canopy management becomes a concern on older plants. Additionally, dormant pruning is used on mature trees to keep the lateral branches in the proper shape by cutting them back to at least two-year-old wood that is at close to the same diameter using angle cuts that force water away from the cut end. Pruning in the spring, however, will not encourage as much growth in your tree as it would if you had pruned in the late winter. Susan Poizner is an urban orchardist and the author of the award-winning fruit tree care book Growing Urban Orchards. And yet, some orchardists avoid fruit tree pruning in the early winter. Pruning should be undertaken at planting time where you cut the new stem off 24 to 30 inches (61-76 cm.) Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Do you live in a very cold climate, in which late summer and autumn pruning can be risky? from the ground. Also, most diseases are dormant in the winter months. You can easily see the structure of your tree, and you can rest assured knowing that the spring is not far off and your tree will soon be able to heal those wounds. Is this a good time to prune fruit trees? That's because that tree has already used up some of its stored energy to fuel leaf, blossom, and shoot growth on its many branches before pruning. Spring is a good time to prune a large fruit tree if you want to make it more compact. Happy growing everyone! The buds on your tree will burst open, making way for leaves, blossoms, baby fruit, and new shoots to emerge. Fruit trees hardly grow at all during the winter months (their roots continue to grow, but that’s about it). When you plant a larger tree, it's harder to create the ideal shape for growing fruit. Think about it this way: if your fruit tree has 100 branches and it needs to fuel growth in each of those branches, then each branch gets a small share of the stored energy. Proper pruning methods and timing is the key to bountiful crops and healthy trees. But if you see a diseased branch in winter or summer, it's usually a good idea to remove it so the disease (like black knot, canker, or fireblight) doesn't spread within the tree and to neighbouring trees. The benefit of pruning at this time is that you can identify (and remove) the branches that did not survive the winter. In the winter, it tends to be easier to see disease problems, as the branches of your tree are bare. An excuse for hot cider, dancing and fun! As the weather cools, the tree prepares for dormancy by moving those sugars down into its roots for winter storage. Are some of the branches broken? Summer pruning can be used, however, to slow down overly vigorous trees or trees that are too large. Is winter a good time to prune fruit trees? After new growth has reached 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm. The best time to prune fruit trees in Arizona is when it’s cold and the trees are dormant. But if, after pruning, your tree has just 75 branches, each branch gets a larger share of that energy so it can grow longer and produce better quality fruit. Why? Well, you can actually do this at any time of year. This later step forces side branches. The best time for pruning fruit trees that are newly planted is in the summer, after new growth has begun to sprout from the initial cuts. She is the creator of the award-winning online fruit tree care training program at www.orchardpeople.com and the host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast. Instead, it will focus that energy on the best branches. Find out in this blog and in our free eBook. Once the energy has been sucked out of the leaves, those leaves will turn brown and fall off the tree. Read more articles about General Fruit Care. In Arizona this is typically from February through about April. Quince fruits are produced on the new season’s growth so winter pruning can be used to promote new shoots and a better fruit crop. … Check out the video below to learn about pruning a newly planted bare root tree. So, your tree will use just a small percentage of its stored nutrients to keep it alive during the winter. However, you may choose to wait until late winter to ensure that the wound will heal quickly afterwards. It makes it easier to see where you are cutting. Fruit Tree Pruning in the Summer Neglected fruit trees may require drastic rejuvenation pruning, which reinvigorates the scaffold but will minimize fruit load for several years. Pruning when the leaves are dormant and the branches are bare allows you to get a clear view of the entire tree … Preparing Fruit Trees for Winter and Preventing Winter Damage, https://www.whiffletreefarmandnursery.ca/. But why is that? Once the tree is mature, if proper training took place, pruning is nearly unnecessary except to reduce downward weak branches, waterspouts and remove dead wood. Any time there will be extensive pruning it should be done earlier than later to avoid leaving large sections of your tree’s bark exposed to direct sunlight. Summer: Wow! The bright leaves begin falling, and some large limbs look a little iffy. Within days your tree will start healing the wound with a layer of protective cells. It has a wonderful stash of energy or sugars in its roots, which it will use to power spring growth. below it. Speaks at conferences and symposiums across North America about fruit tree care, urban orchard design, fruit tree cultivars and more. Well, because you are selecting the best branches to keep, while removing the lower quality branches. You can’t expect much fruiting the first two to three years as the plant develops low branches for better fruiting. Summer pruning removes leaves (food manufacturer), slows fruit ripening, and exposes fruit to sunburn. Pruning should be undertaken at planting time where you cut the new stem off 24 to 30 inches (61-76 cm.) Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Read on for some tips and techniques on fruit tree pruning. But if you don’t prune your tree correctly, you can hurt it more than help it. 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