Pruning is essential for fruit trees to ensure their continued health and vitality, to manage their size and shape, and to maximize their fruit yield, among other benefits. Fruit trees should be trimmed in the summer, but this is typically not done until late winter or early spring, when the trees are full of life and getting ready to bloom.
Fruit trees are still trimmed in the summer to get rid of suckers and water sprouts that emerge and compete with the fruit. Because they do not bear flowers or fruit, the thin branches that grow straight up from the main stem or secondary branches should be clipped as close as possible to their point of origin. If gardeners take care of this in the summer, they won’t have to worry about regrowth.
Gardeners also trim fruit trees in the summer to repair branches that have been broken or killed by the weight of the fruit or other causes. An angled incision made across the stem allows for the safe removal of broken branches without damaging the branch collar.
In order to prevent heart rot and other forms of wood deterioration, it is crucial that branches not be chopped flush with the stem. As a result of not being able to halt the rate of decay or speed up the healing process, pruning coatings are also no longer used.
Tree growth may be controlled and fruit and vegetable yields increased by summer pruning. All woody plants, regardless of species, react to pruning by slowing their development or going dormant.
Small fruit trees can benefit from summer trimming so that their fruit matures at a more manageable height. It is critical to use proper pruning methods whenever and wherever damage occurs. Summer trimming is vital for healthy, productive fruit trees in the yard.
It is appropriate to prune the following fruit trees in the summer as well:
- Peach and apple trees may be trimmed in the summer without risking the health of the trees. While they remain dormant, during the months of December and early February is the best time to trim them.
- To prevent the spread of disease and to remove broken or dead branches, apricot trees are pruned every summer. Heavy cutting should be avoided at this time of year since it increases the tree’s susceptibility to disease through sunlight and injury.
- To prevent the spread of silver leaf disease, cherry trees should have little pruning performed in the summer. To stop the spread of the disease, it is in everyone’s best interest to chop down these trees while they are dormant.
- Pruning Plum Trees: Do any necessary pruning of plum trees throughout the summer to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches. To slow or prevent the spread of illness, avoid cutting branches while the tree is actively developing.
- If you don’t want your pear tree to lose its shape or get too big, you should cut its branches in the summer. Excessive pruning at this time of year is not recommended since it might harm the tree and make it more vulnerable to disease.
Summer is a great time to trim fruit trees, but before you get started, it’s important to think about the sort of tree you’re working with and how much work has to be done. A professional arborist should be consulted before any fruit trees are trimmed to ensure the plants’ continuing health and optimal development.
