Pruning trees
You prune your trees to regulate growth and to improve fruit size and quality. Pruning increases the trees' yield and makes them more suitable for certain climate situations or conditions. Pruning is necessary to repair damaged trees and to make cultivation easier. If the trees are pyramid shaped, you can plant them closer together. This is important if you have a small space. An open bowl or cup shape allows sunlight to better penetrate the branches. This increases the fruit yield, and the low tree makes picking easier. Bush trees are the traditional open cup form. You can train your trees by tying branches to the required form and pruning to retain the desired structure. Apples and pears do well as cordons (single stemmed) and espaliers (single horizontal branches), while cherries prefer to be fanned (short central trunk with several radiating branches). This type of pruning is usually done in the fall. Properly trained and pruned fruit trees will yield high quality fruit earlier and live much longer. Also a well shaped fruit tree is attractive whether it is in your yard, garden, or orchard.
The proper care of your fruit trees will ensure for years to come the beauty of your landscape as well as the production of healthy and delicious fruit.
Care Calendar
Spring Care:
In your tree's first year, clean away the mound of dirt around the trunk when you see new growth and the danger of frost is over. As the weather warms up, you need to increase the water. When the growth reaches 6 inches, it is time to fertilize. You should continue fertilizing every six weeks throughout the blooming season. At this time it is important to control pests and diseases such as peach leaf curl and fire blight. As the tree grows check for rot a few inches above and below the ground.
Summer Care:
You need to protect your trees from heat stress. Water deeply each week and mulch. If the trees appear to wilt but the soil is still wet, mist the leaves around the middle of the day. Contrary to popular belief, watering at noontime does not harm the tree. As the fruits develop, thin them to about 6 inches apart. This gives each fruit a larger share of nutrients and allows it to develop a much better size and flavor. Also, be on the lookout for insect problems.
Fall Care:
You should keep the area under your trees free of fallen fruit, twigs, and leaves. This helps to control insects and disease. Fertilize one last time with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, and as the weather cools, use less water less often.
Winter Care:
The best time to prune is around January or February when the sap has gone down. Remove approximately 1/3 to ½ off all fruiting wood. Water only when the soil dries out between rains.
