5 Tips On Pruning Your Fruit Trees

Whenever we plant fruit trees, we envision it looking like the Garden of Eden. However, the key to achieving such a look is pruning. That is why it is essential to regularly prune all fruit trees so they can look fantastic.

Here are five tips that will help you prune the right way.

1. Know When To Prune

If you want your garden to look beautiful, you should know which fruit trees should be pruned when. Here are some common fruit trees and when you should prune them:

·         Pears and Apples: Prune them every winter

·         Kiwifruit and Grapes: Prune them in winter, back to three to five buds, and tie back any long new canes or branches

·         Citrus, Olives, Feijoas, Chilean Guavas, and Figs: Prune after each harvest is finished. If you live in a chilly region, you should only prune citrus once the frost has passed

·         Blueberries and Cherries: They don’t require frequent pruning. However, the best time is once the fruit appears in autumn or summer

·         Stone Fruit Trees: Should be pruned in late summer once fruiting is complete

2. Removal

Start the process by pruning away damaged, dead, or diseased wood. If you see any sprouts coming from the base of the trunk, remove them too. Even straight sprouts growing from main branches should be removed.

These are just the initial cleaning cuts and that is how you should begin the pruning process. It is essential to prune the branches back towards the bigger limb that they have been growing from. Don't forget to leave small stubs.

3. Thinning Out

Another great tip is to thin out the tree so more air and sunlight can flow into the canopy. These two things reduce the problems of diseases and pests and enhance fruit production. To start thinning, you have to remove branches that are crossing paths with another branch, are growing downwards, or towards the center of the tree.

All your branches should be evenly spaced. If you see branches hovering over each other, thin them out too.

4. Prune Back

Pruning back is one of the easiest tips you can follow. All you have to do is prune back the growth of the tree that is the most outwards. Doing this will allow the branches to become thicker and shorter when they grow.

To prune back, you need to cut at least more than 20% of last year's growth. You have to be mindful of where you cut and then prune accordingly for the best results.

5. Cleaning Up

Once you are done pruning, be sure to clean up the pruned wood from the tree and dispose of it properly. Disposal is essential, especially if the tree was diseased. Besides that, if the pruned wood was diseased, make sure to clean your shears.

You can clean your shears by dipping its blade in isopropyl alcohol for thirty seconds. Doing them will disinfect the blades. You should also dip them while moving from one diseased tree to another.

Final Words

That was your complete guide to the five most important tips you need to follow when pruning fruit trees. If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can always contact OC Tree Service Pros for the best results.