Pruning Fruit Trees

[Smokey23111]

I'm wondering if it's relatively safe to prune any fruit tree, regardless of species. Our new house has a wonderful array of fruit trees and I'm new to taking care of them. I'm pretty sure we have choke cherry, pin cherry, plum, various apple and a pear.

Also is there a rule of thumb when pruning? Is it always safe to prune back to 6 leaves on new growth?

[opabinia51]

Sure it's safe. However, the best time to prune a tree is in the late fall or in winter when the sap is hard. You can prune now but, it's better to do it then.

[doccat5]

Opabinia is right. It's best to wait until the trees are dormant to prune them. With fruit trees you want one fairly straight leader in the middle. Trim any laterals that are trying to take over there. You want to remove branches that are criss crossing other branches, so light and air can get to the interior of the tree.

Do sterilize your pruning equipment between trees. If there is any disease etc, present you don't want to transfer it to another tree.

How nice for you to have a ready planted orchard, and good for you that you want to keep it!

Home grown fruit may not be quite as "pretty" as the grocery store, but it sure does taste better and you know what's on the fruit!

[opabinia51]

Yes, and the reason why it's not "pretty" is because it is grown more or less naturally hopefully with the absence of pesitcides and with lots of compost and good stuff which in turn gives your fruit so much flavour.

I love home grown apples, I love apples.

[SG6]

Apples and Pears can be pruned both in summer and when dormant in winter.

Plums, cherries and other stone fruit should not be pruned in winter. They should be pruned in summer June/July/August. They are more prone to diseases that can enter through the cut and that are more prevelant when it is wet/cold. Silverleaf being the main one.