While you can shove a tree in the ground and let it grow wild with modest results, you will inevitably get better results as the tree matures if you give it proper pruning and train it to the correct center. Some trees such as apples need to be trained to a central leader to develop a strong trunk that will help the tree develop strong fruit throughout its life, while plum trees do better with trained to an open center. We will go over these in further detail later in the individual entries.
Pruning is important throughout a fruit tree’s life. It is often done to provide better ventilation, remove less productive branches, train the center of the tree for more productive fruit, or to control new shoots which might sucker from the crown.
The best time to prune your fruit trees is when they are dormant. While this will change depending on your growing zone, in general the best time to prune them is in late winter or early spring. This will encourage new and vigorous growth when the tree springs to life. This is also a time of year when the insect population is little to none so the tree will be able to repair the minor damage before the bugs of summer have a chance to capitalize.
The right tool for the job is important. While hardware stores and greenhouse magazines might be awash in new pruning gadgets, you really only need three tools in the shed. A pruning shears is essentially a robust scissors. It is probably the tool you will use the most, especially in the early years when the branches are small and thin. If you only grow dwarf trees then pruning shears might be the only tool you need at all. While you can usually get by with a pruning shears that has a single hand grip, I personally prefer the type that has long handles to give me the extra leverage I need to get through medium sized branches.
A pruning saw is little more than a handsaw with a modest curve in the blade which allows it to get better purchase on large branches that need to be completely removed. While it might be tempting to buy one of the very cheap versions available at the store, it is worth the extra money to pony up for one that has a comfortable handle. Nothing causes hand cramps faster than trying to grip onto a big blocky wooden handle while you grind back and forth.
A pole saw is essentially a longer version of the pruning saw. The long attached pole allows you to reach up to higher branches that might need pruning for ventilation reasons. Usually you’re only going to need this if you have an orchard full of standard trees that have gotten out of hand late in their maturity or have suffered storm damage.
There is a variation of the pole saw which has an interchangeable head for a pruning shears. This attachment does make it easier for you to work high small branches. When selecting a pole saw that utilizes a cable system to help you saw I personally prefer to look for a metal cable that is either galvanized or vinyl coated.
The act of pruning itself essentially directs or redirects the character, shape, growth or production of a tree.
Thinning cuts are often used to remove small branches that are crowding or interfering with other branches. A tree that is overly crowded with small branches is susceptible to a number of problems, the most dangerous of which is fungal growth and infestation by pests. The lack of ventilation caused by overly thick foliage creates prime conditions for these problems to occur. The damage some of these funguses and pests can cause could spell the death of the tree if left unchecked long enough.
Heading cuts remove small and medium new growth behind blossoming shoots which will allow the plant to dedicate its energy into developing stronger fruit on lower, more mature branches. It is also absolutely critical to remove any suckering shoots that emerge from the crown or grafting swell. These are essentially the tree’s attempt to make supplementary trunks, which will ultimately reduce the tree’s production for years.