By Amy-Lynn Albertson
N.C. Cooperative Extension

Many people believe my job slows down during winter, thinking I have a “break.” In reality, winter can serve as a precursor to what is to come in spring. This is especially true when we start receiving plant catalogs, requests to attend grower conferences, invitations to teach programs and calls for assistance with pruning.

Pruning is a crucial task for maintaining fruit trees and shrubs. While it may not be as essential for other landscape plants, homeowners often prune to enhance blooms or remove diseased limbs. I frequently receive calls a year in advance from folks seeking guidance on correctly pruning their fruit trees and shrubs. Many beginners hesitate to prune their plants because it can be intimidating. Most people avoid pruning out of fear that they might harm or even kill their plants. However, pruning is essential if you want to achieve good-quality fruit. This article offers simple guidelines to help you effectively prune your fruit trees.

The easiest branches to prune are dead, diseased or damaged. This can be done at any time of the year.

If a limb of your peach tree has broken due to the heavy weight of the peaches, you should consider pruning it. If the limb has been dead for a few years, it’s best to remove it. If it appears discolored due to disease, remove the diseased branch.

Remember, it’s essential not to remove more than one-third of the tree at a time. When you decide to cut back some older growth, look for new growth to take its place.

The ideal time for major pruning is between February and early March. We advise against pruning fruit trees in December or January, as doing so is too early and could lead to significant problems. It’s also important to prune when the plants are young to help train them properly. I often receive calls about pruning older, mature trees. After asking a few questions, I typically find out that the tree is ancient and has never been pruned. In these cases, effective pruning becomes quite challenging, and it may be difficult to achieve a good harvest. The trees are almost dead, with their limbs curled and mangled. The disease has taken over half of the plants, making it best to plant a new tree or shrub and start over. However, no one likes to hear this, so addressing issues early on is essential.

Different pruning techniques are recommended for various types of fruit trees. For example, peach trees are pruned to have an open center, while apple trees are pruned to maintain a central leader. Pear trees can be pruned to have either a central leader or a multi-leader system.

For more resources on pruning, visit our website at rowan.ces.ncsu.edu. We offer a variety of materials from N.C. State Extension experts, including YouTube videos, fact sheets and more.

Amy-Lynn Albertson is the director of the Rowan County Extension.