Pruning Fruit Trees

The perfect season for pruning fruit trees if you want a good amount of fruit is when the tree is dormant, and not growing. This is ordinarily in the spring time, which is the time just before the vigorous growth. First of all, prune all branches that are dead, and branches that come into contact with another one, or cross over another branch in any way. Remove vertical branches by cutting close to the joint where it joins a horizontal branch, or a little above a bud, cutting backwards at around 30 degrees. Vertical limbs should be removed, within reason, depending upon the tree in question.There are a few exceptions, but for many average fruit trees like apple and peach follow this rule.

Although pruning apple tree methods have basic shared elements with other fruit trees, there can be slight variations when dealing with certain kinds of trees, such as the plum tree. A flourishing tree tends to look good and will also give more fruit than a sick, unattended or badly cut tree. After initial planting the 3 sturdiest vertical limbs are identified and the rest cut back to the base. Excess growth is also cut off from these verticals, leaving some horizontals for future development. From this point on, the three vertical branches will form the major structure of the tree, with all minor limbs branching off them. These 3 'trunks' are never severed, but the person doing the cutting always leaves the growing tip alone stretching upwards for the sunlight. Other branches jostling for the space and sunshine at the top of the tree are cut back, to make elbow room for speedy growth. After any obviously dead branches are cut away, space is created within the main part of the tree.

Plant the trees in a place that enjoys good sunlight for about half the day and also gives some protection from prevailing wind. It's well known that young trees need lots of water in order for them to bed in and also to encourage root growth. We can to set fruit trees at any time, in any season, unless it's cold enough that the young saplings could be in danger of becoming frost-damaged, or that they will not flourish during those critical first weeks. Trees like a lot of clean water, but it must not be allowed to pool, so the soil should be well draining. Dig a hole in the soil or prepared mound twice the diameter of the root ball and the same depth. Put the sapling in the hole and loosely fill in with soil, paying attention that the tree is not planted too low - the young tree won't prosper if it's planted too low down in the soil. Firmly push down the soil around the pack of roots and drench with twenty liters of clean water, with a little slow release fertilizer to encourage early growth.