Garden Guide: How to prune your fruit trees for a great summer harvest!
Winter is the time to prune your trees. Here’s what you need to do now for a great harvest this summer.
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Are you not getting fruit from your trees? There are a few common problems. If your tree has been planted in the past 3 years, it’s probably too young. The weather is another major factor. Apple trees require a certain number of “chill hours” in the winter to set flower buds and fruit in the spring. If winter is too warm, some varieties won't fruit that year. Apple trees, along with several other fruiting trees need a partner tree to cross pollinate with. If you're doing all these things and still not getting fruit, or if your tree is growing out of control - you should prune it before spring arrives!
Winter is the ideal time of the year to prune many trees. The branches are bare which makes it easier to see the overall structure of the tree. A properly shaped tree will fruit better, and it’ll be easier to pick the fruit too. Here are a few tips!
What to Prune
Branches that are too tall
Prune back to a height that’s under 10 feet tall
Small Vertical Branches (Epicormal Growth)
These thin branches that tall and lanky up toward the sky don’t produce a lot of fruit. In fact, it takes energy from fruit production. You can also identify these branches by their darker bark
Interior Branches
Branches that face inward don't get enough sunshine in the summer to support healthy fruit
They can eventually rub with other branches which will damage the bark
These branches are a gateway for diseases, and it's a place where fungus hides
Dead branches
Prune off dead branches to keep the tree tidy!
NOTE: Do not prune small branches that run along the main branch. These are “spurs.” They house the flower buds and fruit on “spur bearing” apple varieties (which is most of them!)
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Where to make the cut
Cut just above the “branch bark ridge”
This is the spot where the branch meets the trunk. It’s a raised piece of park
If you cut this off the tree won’t heal as quickly
Cut above an emerging bud
Do not prune this:
Structural interior branches
These branches face upward but are thick and support fruiting branches
Horizontal Branches that face outward
Horizontal branches (a 45 degree angle or less) are the best at supporting fruit.
Spurs
These small branches growing along the main stem produce the flower buds and fruit on most apple varieties. If you have a "spur" bearing apple variety, fruit will grow along the stem.
“Tip bearing” varieties produce fruit on the tips of branches instead.
Spur bearing varieties typically respond better to pruning and are the most common varieties for backyard growers.
Note: Do not prune more than 20% of your tree in a single year. This could put it into shock. If you over prune, your tree will dedicate its energy to growing new leaves instead of fruit.
