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Pruning of fruit trees of unknown types

rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
in Fruit & veg
Having moved in the late autumn, the majority of our fruit trees are of unknown types. Under these circumstances, I am faced with two options.
Either to prune them now, and risk damaging them, or leave them be this season, and wait until I know what they are.

I have identified a plum and an apple, but the rest are a mystery to me.
Any advice would be gratefully received. Thank you.

Posts

  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    Are these mature trees or saplings? It would be easier to tell what they are on a mature trunk if you have pictures. Either way if you don't know I would leave them.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    @rowlandscastle444. If you think any might be cherries, it would be best to leave them as cherries can get silver leaf disease if pruned in the winter.

    It won't hurt to leave all the fruit trees really as you can do some pruning in July once you know what they are. I would imagine that as your new garden looked well-cared for, the trees have hopefully been well maintained so it won't hurt to miss one session.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    The fruit trees are mainly well cared for, although a couple are lop-sided.
    We were told there were plum, apple (cookers and eaters), peach and pear. I'm not convinced about the peach, and am thinking there are greengage and cherry too.
    I guess I'll have to wait and see. 

    They are not saplings, but smallish mature trees.

    Thank you both.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    In that case I’d certainly leave them until you know which they are. They don’t sound as if they’ll
    need much formative work this year at least. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    Leave them alone until you have identified what each one is as different fruits need different times of pruning. They sound big enough to leave alone for a couple of seasons without pruning.
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