How to prune young fruit trees

Pruning young fruit trees

If you are just new to the world of growing fruit trees, you've have no doubt heard the term 'pruning' tossed around. Well, many gardeners will tell you that they have never pruned a tree. Pruning is not absolutely essential to the health of a tree...usually, though with proper pruning your fruit tree will become more productive.

Why do we prune fruit trees?
Pruning is the removal of dead or unneeded branches to encourage the growth of flowers and fruit. A tree may end up devoting energy to areas that don’t need it, leaving less energy and nutrients for fruit bearing. Judicious removal of some branches may see an improvement in the trees performance  in regards to it's fruiting capacity. Pruning also keeps the tree in shape by maintaining balance. This prevents the fruit tree from becoming weighed down on one side.

Always use sharp secateurs for pruning. Photo credit morgueFile.

When should I start pruning my fruit tree?
Many gardeners don’t even think about pruning their trees until they start to bear fruit. This is a mistake, and you should never neglect  a tree just because it hasn't yet begun to produce. During the entire process of growth, you should prune the tree in a way that it is even and uniform. Then, when it does start to produce fruit, the results will be significantly greater. It is very easy to tell the difference between a tree that has been pruned regularly during its growth, and one that has been neglected. Generally the shape of the tree is much more balanced looking if it has been pruned.

Look for any dead branches
The first thing to look for when you start pruning is any branches which are dead or diseased. These are quite easy to recognize. Usually they don’t bear any fruit, and might be misshapen or discolored. Sometimes a branch can be dead or diseased without making it too obvious. If this is the case, wait until the tree is flowering and it will become obvious by not growing anything.

Look for branches that are crowded
The second thing to look for when pruning, are any branches that are too crowded. Crowding, particularly in the center of the tree can create the right conditions for pests and disease. Take out a few of the smaller branches to allow one or two larger branches more room in the center. Fruit trees are often encouraged to grow via pruning into a vase shape  A 'V' shape, narrow at the bottom, opening wide at the top.

Formative pruning vs regulatory pruning
There are other situations and types of branches that require pruning, but these are the very basics. These can alter depending on how old your tree is. For example, for the first 3 years of a tree’s growth it requires pruning that follows 'formative' guidelines. This means pruning for the vase shape and pruning off side shoots etc. After the tree is well established, you will need to use 'regulatory' pruning to keep the tree healthy and to a manageable size.

Watch this four minute video on pruning and shaping a new fruit tree.

Very easy to understand and follow.

Get to know your tree
Exactly how and when you prune will depend somewhat on how your tree fruits. Some trees fruit on 2nd year growth, so if your prune off all the wrong shoots and branches, you will have no fruit that year.

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Get to know your tree and what it requires for healthy growth.