Pruning fruit trees is an art in which many rules must be observed. This not only affects the way of cutting, but also the right time.
Fruit trees can be pruned in winter and in summer
winter pruning
In general, fruit trees should be cut back whenever possible when there is no vegetation, because cuts heal better at this time - and the lack of foliage means that the person doing the work can better see exactly where the scissors should be applied. This reduces the likelihood of cutting errors. However, fruit trees react very differently to pruning - pome fruit and berries tolerate pruning much better in winter than stone fruit, which is why the latter is better pruned in summer, after harvest if possible.
summer cut
With a summer cut, you remove young shoots that you would cut away in winter anyway. An early pruning improves the exposure of the fruit tree crown and also ensures that the tree has more free energy for the development of flower buds. In addition, fast-growing fruit trees, which include sweet cherries, for example, can be limited in their growth by pruning in the summer. Thus, the summer pruning has a positive influence on the fertility of the tree.
The right time for the summer cut
However, the right time is also important here: pruning summer shoots too early, for example, causes the top bud to sprout again, whereby length growth is already somewhat restricted. Nevertheless, such a shoot cannot mature in time before winter and would therefore have to be cut back again. Furthermore, the period in which leaf and wood buds can be converted into flower buds by a targeted pruning is very limited. The following table provides you with an overview of the possible cutting times.
| fruit type | Best time for summer pruning |
|---|---|
| Apple | first half of July to second half of August |
| pear | early July to early August |
| sweet cherry | End of June to second half of July |
| sour cherry | late June to late July |
| plum | first half of July to first half of August |
| apricot | first half of July to the end of July |
The best cutting times for different types of fruit
Depending on what time of year a pruning is carried out, this has an influence on the growth potential of the fruit tree in question. Summer-cut fruit trees are generally restricted in their growth, while that of winter-cut species is fueled. In this way, shoot growth can be regulated.
| month | fruit type | influence on growth |
|---|---|---|
| January | Apple pear | strong promotion of growth |
| February | Apple pear | strong promotion of growth |
| March | Apple, pear, sweet cherry, sour cherry, plum, apricot | promoting growth |
| April | peach | reduction in vigor |
| May | peach | reduction in vigor |
| June | - | - |
| July | sweet cherry | reduction in vigor |
| August | Sweet and sour cherries, peach, apricot | reduction in vigor |
| September | sour cherry, plum | reduction in vigor |
| October | - | - |
| November | Apple pear | strong promotion of growth |
| December | Apple pear | strong promotion of growth |
tips
In contrast to many other deciduous trees, fruit trees require training and then maintenance pruning during the first few years. This promotes the development of fruit wood and keeps the crown light.