pruning all fruits

8/2/2019 Pruning All Fruits

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Fruit Tree Pruning

Easy as 1-2-3

Jerry Goodspeed

Horticulture AgentUtah State University


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Pruning is a Science andan Art


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Why prune

1- To produce quality fruit

2- To control size

3- To solve problem


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When to prune


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What to use

Saw 2+ large branches

Hand Pruners -1 branches

Loppers 1 branches


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What to Cut

*It Depends Rule:

-type of fruit tree

-age of the tree

First 3-4 years:

training & structure

After 4-5 years:fruit & size control


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The 3 Easy Rules

1- Know where the fruit is

2- Make the easy cuts first

3- Let the light in


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Basic tree stuff


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Step 1

Know where the fruit is


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Apples & Pears

Fruit on spurs

2-5 years old.

Thin the fruit!

(hand width)

What about apples every-other year?


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Leaf budFruit bud


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Apricots - Cherries - Plums

Produce fruit everywhere


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Peaches

Fruit on 1 year old wood.

3 mixed buds

Heavy annual pruning

up to 50%


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Step 2

Make the easy cuts first

Dead Diseased - Dumb

hanging branches

rubbing branches

bad angles

suckers


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2 basic pruning cuts

Heading cutsshortening a branch

Thinning cutsRemove entire branch


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Pruning doesnt stop growth it only directs it


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Apical Dominance

The no grow hormone

-produced by terminal bud

-suppresses lower/lateral buds


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Step 3

Let in the Light


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Training Systems

Theres no right or wrong training system.

The worst thing to do is nothing!


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Open Vase(Peaches, Apricots, Nectarines, Japanese plums, Sour cherries)

Select 3-4 primary scaffold branches

-About 18-24 from the ground

-Evenly distributed in a whorl.

-6 to 8 apart vertically

Remove any growth 1 foot from the trunk

When primary scaffold are 4 feet long, allow 2

secondary scaffolds to form.


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Scoring

Forcing a bud to break

-use a sharp knife

-early before bud swell-disrupts apical dominance


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Peach Tree before pruning


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Peach Tree after pruning


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Modified Central Leader(Apples, European plums, Sweet cherries, Pears)


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Modified Central Leader(Apples, European plums, Sweet cherries, Pears)

Select 4-5 primary scaffold branches- 18-24 from the ground

- evenly distributed

- 6-8 apart vertically

Head terminal above where the 2nd

scaffold will be.2-3 primary scaffolds1st 4-5 branches 24-36 from ground

2nd 3-4 branches 2 feet above the 1st

3rd 2-3 branches 2 feet above the 2nd

More horizontal branches control vigor.


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Spreaders

Apples / Pears

Love to grow straight up.

Spreaders-1x1 wood with nails

-baling twine

-clothes pins


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Fruit Thinning Why?

Produces better quality fruit

Promotes annual bearing

after

June drop

double nickel rule


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Grapes

Growth Habit:

-American Bunch-type

-Perennial woody trunk

-Produce fruit on year-old canes

-Hardy / Vigorous plants

Deep rooted (2-5)

Need some type of trellising

Try to avoid chain-link


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P G


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Pruning GrapesFour-cane Kniffin System

Fruit is found on shoots growing from year old canes.

One main trunk trained to a 2 wire trellis system (24-30 apart)

4 canes (year old) 10-15 buds on each cane or 40-60 per plant

Each bud will form 2-3 grape clusters

Renewal spurs

4 renewal spurs with 2 buds

Next years fruiting wood


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Pruning Tips

-Select canes that are 1/4 in diameter

Avoid weak & bull canes

-Mark or tape the 4 keepers and tie them to wire

first.-Remove everything else!

(Except the renewal spurs)

-Correct pruning = removing 80-90% of the grapeplant


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Raspberries

Growth Habit:

-Perennial Roots Sucker profusely

-Biennial Canes

Primocanes (1 year old)

Floricanes (2 year old)


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2 Types of Raspberries

Summer-bearing

Day-length sensitive

Set flowers in fall, produce fruit next June /July

Fruit on floricanes

Ever-bearing (Fall)

Not day-length sensitive

Fruit on primocanes (first fall, on the tips)

Fruit on floricanes (next summer, lower on cane)

Pruning


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Pruning

Summer-bearing Raspberries

Produce one crop in June/July-Early spring (March-April)

-Remove dead / weak canes (winter damage)-Thin healthy canes to 6 apart

-Prune canes to 4-5 (optional)

-Remove spent canes after harvest

-Rotation between primocanes & floricanes

-Typically need support or trellised


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*http://www.inberry.com/


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Pruning


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Pruning

Ever-bearing Raspberries

Two options1- Produce 2 small crops June & August

or

2- Produce 1 large crop in August

Pruning


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Pruning


Two small crops (June & August)-Early spring (March-April)

-Remove dead / weak canes (winter damage)

-Thin healthy canes to 6 apart

-Prune canes to 4-5 (below fruited section)

-Remove spent canes after harvest-Rotation between primocanes & floricanes


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*http://www.inberry.com/

Ever

Pruning


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Pruning


One large crop (August)-Early spring (March-April)

-Mow everything down to 2-4

-Thats it!!


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Black / Purple Raspberries

*http://www.weeksberry.com/BRASP.HTML


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Questions?


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Contact Information

Jerry Goodspeed

Weber County Fairgrounds

(801) 399-8201

[email protected]

www.extension.usu.edu
mailto:[email protected]://www.extension.usu.edu/http://www.extension.usu.edu/mailto:[email protected]

pruning all fruits

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