Fruit Tree Pruning - Organic Edible GardensOrganic Edible Gardens

Fruit trees require pruning to make harvesting easier, prevent pests and disease, and prevent branches from breaking from being overladen with fruit. Winter is the best time to prune fruit trees. They are dormant. You can see their structure better when the trees don’t have leaves. Trees store their energy in their roots during dormancy. When you cut a branch you aren’t removing energy from the tree, just redirecting it. The trees are also less susceptible to pests and diseases made from the pruning cuts when weather is cold.

Each tree requires a unique approach but there are two main strategies for fruit tree pruning open center and central leader. Here are some before and after photos of fruit tree pruning.

Fruit Tree Pruning: Unpruned peach tree with dense, tangled branches before winter pruning — Peach Tree Before Pruning

Fruit Tree Pruning: A peach tree after pruning with an open center — Peach Tree After Pruning

Unpruned pear tree with dense, tangled branches before winter pruning — Pear Tree Before Pruning

Pear tree after pruning with structural branches visible — Pear Tree After Pruning

Unpruned apple tree with dense, tangled branches before winter pruning — Apple Tree Before Pruning

Apple tree after pruning with clear central leader and scaffolding branches — Apple Tree After Pruning

Unpruned plum tree with dense, tangled branches especially in the lower canopy prior to winter pruning — Plum Tree Before Pruning

Plum tree after pruning with lower branches removed and interior cleaned up. — Plum Tree After Pruning

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