   Deciduous Fruit Tree Pruning - February 9, 2005 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County Fruit trees can be pruned any time of year. Most people prune in winter to see the branch structure and fruiting wood when the tree is without leaves. Winter pruning tends to invigorate a tree by encouraging vegetative growth. However, some California orchards have been moving toward summer pruning for several years now. This has a less invigorating effect which may be desirable on more mature trees. Before you start pruning, you need to know where and why you are making each cut. You also need good tools: hand pruners, loppers, and a pruning saw. A pair of gloves is also handy, especially if your tools are as sharp as they should be. It's also a good idea to soak your tools in rubbing alcohol for 10 minutes between trees. When you are pruning a diseased tree, this should be repeated each time you prune out a diseased area. Some fruit growers prefer trees that are trained to a central leader. This is most often used with apples and pears and requires removal of unwanted branches from the trunk while leaving behind strategically spaced side branches (scaffold branches). Open-center (also called “vase-shaped”) pruning removes the central leader at a very young age (right after planting) to create a tree that spreads outward from the trunk allowing light to penetrate and air to circulate in the center of the tree. Open-center is often used for peaches, nectarines, plums, and apricots. It can also be used on apples and pears to keep the tree dwarfed and easier to harvest. This is often preferred for backyard fruit producers. Most apples and pears produce fruit on spurs. Spurs are shortened twigs where flowers and fruit are produced. These spurs live from 5 to 12 years. Plums, apricots, and cherries produce fruit on shorter-lived spurs. Peaches and nectarines produce fruit predominantly on the previous year’s wood. This is critical in planning your pruning strategy for each of these species. In general, peaches and nectarines should be pruned more aggressively than the others to produce the desired quantity and quality of fruit bearing wood. The others should be pruned to control the number and age of fruit producing spurs. Large pruning cuts should be kept to a minimum. These cuts take longer to heal and will often cause water sprouts to grow in that vicinity during the following growing season. Water sprouts are rapidly growing, stems that utilize energy that could be going into fruit production. Summer pruning is less likely to promote water sprouts. If you must make large cuts, do not use a pruning sealant or wound dressing. Simply allow the cut to callous over naturally. Since 1996, I have offered fruit tree pruning demonstrations in late winter. I’d like to invite you to join me for a fruit tree pruning demonstration at the Schnur Orchard in Oak Creek Canyon on Saturday February 26 at 9 AM. The Schnur Orchard is at travel north on Hwy 89A past the "Y" in Sedona. Continue on Hwy 89A to Leo Schnur Lane which is 1.5 miles past mile marker 376 (mm 376 is at Midgley Bridge) or 0.5 miles past mile marker 377. I’ll be conducting another similar demonstration on March 2 (Prescott), March 17 (Chino Valley), and March 19 (Dewey). For maps and details about all the 2005 fruit tree pruning demonstrations, visit the Yavapai County Cooperative Extension Web Site at: cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on gardening and pest management. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 ext. 14 or E-mail us at mgardener@verdeonline.com and be sure to include your address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or submit column ideas at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/. |