Fruit trees need to be pruned for quality fruit. This tree has too many branches, and will try to make too many fruits.
A fruit tree such as an apple tree can only produce so many apples to have quality fruit. Pruning achieves a reduction in apples, and creates quality fruit.
Pruning fruit trees is almost an art that is learned over several years.
I’m going to help you get started on pruning fruit trees. You may want to contact your MSU county extension office to learn more about completely pruning fruit trees.
If you have an apple tree like the first picture, it has too many branches and needs to be pruned. In fact, fruit trees need to be pruned every year.
The first limbs to remove are any dead or broken limbs. Here one limb is broken and hanging down.
Let’s get started. Obviously you need good, sharp pruning shears and a sharp saw.
The first limbs to remove are the easy ones. Remove any dead or broken branches. That is simple.
The broken branches are a disease entry point.
Some limbs are hard to visually see if they are dead. I just snap the end. If it snaps easily and is brown inside, it is dead.
Water shoots are the next to remove. Water shoots are thin branches that grow straight up off of main branches. These will never produce fruit.
The next branch type to remove is pretty easy to recognize. They are called water shoots. Why? I have no idea.
They will never produce fruit, and just take away energy from fruiting limbs.
Water shoots look different than the other branches. They are skinny, usually reddish colored, and have few buds.
You’ll notice the tree starts to instantly look better without those water shoots.
Branches that are touching each other are not good. Remove one of the branches all of the way back at the main trunk.
Now the pruning starts to get a little tougher, but you should already be noticing a difference. Any branches that are touching and crossing over each other need to have some work done.
Take out one of the branches all the way back at the main trunk of the tree. Which one? Now you start to develop your eye for the art of pruning.
Remove the branch that doesn’t look like it would grow in the right place in the future. Look at how the crossing branches relate to the surrounding branches. Keep the branch that will have a good space between the neighboring limbs.
Now the obvious to prune limbs are gone. How much should you prune after this? There is an old rule of thumb. You want to be able to throw your winter hat through the tree and have it come out the other side.
Yes, that’s a bizarre rule of thumb. It illustrates how skimpy a fruit tree should be when talking about the number of branches.
Start cutting out more branches at the main trunk.
Think about what direction the branches you leave will grow this coming year.
Will they stay separated from other branches?
This tree is half pruned. The bottom half is pruned and the top half isn’t. You can see the limited number of branches on the bottom of the tree.
The final picture shows a tree that is half pruned. The bottom half is done, and the top still needs pruning.
This also shows why I like drawf fruit trees, and not semi-dwarf or standard sized trees.
The taller they get, the harder it is to properly prune and spray the trees.
Most of my apples trees are dwarf, but this example is a semi-dwarf. I have to get on a ladder to prune the top of the tree. That’s not fun in the cold wind at this time of year.
This is just a good start on your way to having your own home-grown fruit.
For those of you wanting to start some fruit trees, I can tell you it’s a great challenge if you want to tackle “harder” gardening.
To bite into an apple you grew is a great reward. You can also choose to spray the trees with organic insecticides, giving the apples less traditional chemicals.
Last chance to prune oaks
If you have a limb on an oak tree you want to remove, you have to do it now.
Oak trees shouldn’t be pruned when it has warmed up. The oak wilt disease can invade a cut in an oak tree and kill it. It’s too pretty and valuable of a tree to lose!
If you are going to have your winter coat on when pruning the limb, and the weather is expected to stay cold for a few weeks, it is okay to prune an oak tree.
That is why I say now is the last chance to prune your oak trees until next winter.
Master pruners please teach us more
This is just a start, and there are many tips to fruit tree pruning. Any readers that have suggestions to help us all, please post your comments below.
Mark Torregrossa has been the Chief Meteorologist for three television news stations in Michigan. A resident of the state for 20 years, he is also a master gardener and avid hunter. Email him at mark@farmerweather.com and find him on Facebook at facebook.com/mark.torregrossa and Twitter @weathermanmark
Speak Your Mind