Prune Your Fruit Trees, Now

Adam Chorba, Forest Specialist, Bradford County Conservation District.
It seems like there’s always something to do. However, if you find yourself with a little down time and you want to go out and enjoy some fresh air on some of these warmer days, and maybe even find a deer shed along the way, now is a great time to go prune your fruit trees. As with most things related to forestry, it’s both a science and an art.  And, because art is open to interpretation, I’m going to try and focus on the science part of it. Let’s start with why we prune. 

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Pruning increases the productivity and quality of fruit by directing energy to productive fruiting wood rather than excess leaves and branches.  Diseases and pests can be reduced by opening the canopy to increase air circulation and sunlight, which reduces humidity and dries leaves faster, minimizing fungal diseases like powdery mildew and pest infestations. Pruning for tree health is often referred to as “removing the three Ds" -dead, damaged, and diseased wood- to prevent further harm to the tree. Structural strength is increased by removing weak, crossing, or narrow-angled branches. This prevents limb breakage under heavy loads of fruit, ice, or snow. Size control may be important in an orchard or yard tree setting, so pruning to restrict the height and spread of the tree will make it easier to manage, spray, and harvest. This is typically not a concern for a tree intended for wildlife because you would be looking to produce the most fruit possible. The best way to do that is to try and create a large canopy. Pruning also activates the tree’s response system to encourage new growth. Cutting stimulates the production of new, young wood. Young wood is typically classified as growth that is 2-5 years old, where fruit is often produced.

When to prune? Now! The best time to prune fruit trees is whenever the tree is dormant. Pruning trees during the dormant season (late winter/early spring) minimizes stress, prevents disease, and boosts growth by allowing the tree to seal wounds before insects and diseases become very active and before the tree is directing energy into growth. Also, without leaves, it is easier to see and reach dead, weak, or crossing branches; and easier to see the true shape of the tree for further shaping. I like to wait until you have days with temperatures above freezing because with active sap flow the tree can seal that wound internally within minutes.

How to prune? The “how” can be very subjective depending on the type of tree, the desired shape, the amount to be removed, etc., but the basics all hold true. Make sure your tools are clean and sharp. This helps the tree heal quicker and reduces the chance of infection. It is often recommended to clean your tools with alcohol when switching from tree to tree, especially when you are removing dead or diseased branches. When using snips, try and make one clean cut. If you are removing an entire branch, cut as close to the branch collar as possible without cutting the collar itself. This is where the tree will heal from. If the branch is too large and a saw is required, similar actions are recommended (besides the obvious single cut). In this case, just try and make your cuts as smooth as possible. Try not to make any cuts that water can lay in. When deciding on what branches to cut, as previously mentioned, make sure to start with removing the dead, diseased, and damaged branches.  Also prune any branches that are crossing another, and any branches that are growing back toward the center of the tree. The next step is to trim lower branches. Depending on the desired height, typically trim any branches below 4-6 foot to mediate damage from deer and maintenance equipment. After all of that is removed, you may need to wait until next year to prune the shape of the tree, as to not remove too much. Most literature recommends no more than 30%-35% of the canopy each year so you don’t create too much stress or stimulate excessive sprouting. However, some trees (like apple), can tolerate a lot. The main factor here is overall tree health, so use your best judgment. There is a ton of literature out there to read up on specific species and techniques, but at the very least, this information can get you started and get your trees growing healthier.

The Bradford County Conservation District is committed to helping people manage resources wisely.  You can visit the Bradford County Conservation District at 200 Lake Rd in Wysox across from the Wysox Fire Hall. Contact us at (570) 485-3144 or visit our web page at www.bccdpa.com.