Our neighbor bought six fruit trees, a mix of peaches and apple. She went to a seminar and they said prune all the little side branches and cut the trunk back to about two feet. Her husband planted them but he didn't prune them. Should she do it? They've been planted about a week. dooley
As her planting instructions suggest, professional orchardists do prune newly planted saplings down to a single trunk. This will not hurt the tree and will let her pick good side branches as the seasons pass. Encourage her to water her tree every day it does not rain. TX is HOT! come summer. With a regular drink the new tree will keep right on a growing through small newly transplanted feet this first year.
I've never grown fruit trees before... but doing research on the one's we just got, a lot of places say not to prune until the 2nd year. Again... I have no experience.. just repeating what I read.
I planted several fruit trees at once about a year ago. The lemon, being the hungry rapacious grower it is, exhibited multiple deficiencie in our soil rather rapidly. I pruned it back 50 cm off the ground- all the new growth looked terrible, and thought "ouch" as all I had read said wait till about 80 cm high. (almost 3 foot). I then foliar fed etc to correct deficiencies. Due to it's increased and intensive soil correction and abundant fertilisation, but also due to the pruning, it now is a well shaped tree with several sturdy branches annat 4 1/2 foot high. The orange, planted at same time in same soil, hasn't come very far. Good general rule for pruning fruit trees- you need an open vase shape, so good airflow can get into the centre, as well as sun and insects for pollination etc. Prune to outwards facing buds, nip off watershoots. Try to balance out shape of tree. Remember, if you lop off a growing shoot, it will sprout two more from the node underneath it. We prune ours to keep most growth at a more managable height. If you want to terminate growth there, prune back till no more shoots underneath. cut back on angle so water doesn't sit on tips and invite in fungal disease. Good to do before their dormancy period but Iamb a bit keen and do mine when I notice they need it. If it doubt, give it a good drink of liquid fertilizer or spray foliar feed to support it. A really good book is "Pruning and Training" by Christopher Brickle and David Joyce. ISBN 978-1-4053-1526-5. I find it a very comprehensive book with a lot of very specific as well as sound general advice, I think this book or one of similar caliber invaluable on any gardeners bookshelf.
We usually plant in Feb. or March and prune the following Feb. before new growth starts. We are pruning ours now, but they are three years old.
I pruned my new fruit trees lightly the first year at planting time. The trees that I bought were well over my head, so I cut the cetral trunk off at about 2 meters. I want to keep my trees low enough to reach without a ladder. Good luck there, Dooley
