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pruning fruit trees
peter jones2
Posts: 2
Iam not really a gardener, just like to keep it tidy....i have some mature fruit trees that are getting too big and untidy, an apple, pear, plum and a cherry, can someone explain to me the best time of year to prune them and improve the fruit on them..thank you
0
Posts
Hello Peter, and welcome to the forum
Apples and pears need pruning in the winter.
Remove any branches that are dead, diseased or damaged. Then remove any that are blocking the middle of the tree - it should end up in a sort of wine glass shape - or crossing each other. That will probably be enough for the first winter, if it's been neglected. Don't cut out more than a quarter of the tree at a time though as the shock might kill it!
Next summer there'll be a load of weak 'water shoots' that should be removed as soon as possible.
Then ask again about pruning for optimum production!
(You'll need a decent pruning saw, or at least a sharp saw, and a pair of loppers. Secateurs are for the fiddly stuff).
As a rule of thumb you prune stone fruit in the summer and other top fruit (ie Apple/ pears) in the winter.
Thank you, the trees are 5 years old, the plum apple and pear are part trained along fence panels (again, unsure if they have been done correctly) the cherry is free standing and getting taller each year and at 70 years of age im struggling with something so high, though it does give the best fruit crop id like to be able to contain its size...8 to 10 plums is all there ever is on the plum tree, and with the amount of blossom it has each year makes me think something isnt quite right, as with the pear, a fair amount of fruit but no size....sorry if this all sounds vague but as stated im not a gardener, your input is greatly appreciated...thank you
On the plum tree perhaps you need another plum tree to cross pollinate, because it does blossom this would suggest this. also does it blossom early, sometimes if a tree is a early pollinator and we get a late frost the frost will damage the blossom. No blossom no fruit.
Since this is the first time I have been on this site please forgive my ignorance on pruning. I have 1 each Stella Cherry and Victoria plum which I have never pruned; basically I do not know where to start. If I can figure out how to attach photos can someone advise me?
Thank you for the above - Hortico - I will wait in patience for the Spring to try your suggestions.