Orchard Network

Methods of pruning apple and pear trees

Regulated pruning This is the oldest and most basic way of pruning standard trees. Up to 20% of the wood should be removed each year to maintain a balanced tree. As entire branches are removed, rather than individual laterals or spurs, it is quick and requires less skill than other methods. Remove branches that are diseased and damaged, weak and unproductive, crossing, congested, or growing back to the centre of the tree. This is the best method to use to maintain wildlife benefit, partly because it is more extensive than other methods of pruning. Most traditional orchards are pruned this way.

Spur pruning

This method was developed to maximise fruit production, with each branch considered separately. It is easy to follow but time-consuming and can only be used on spur bearing trees. The tree is shaped to form a framework of permanent branches. Vigorous and upright shoots are removed in favour of horizontal, fruit-bearing laterals and fruit spurs. When these become too big or cease to fruit they are cut out and new shoots, arising from dormant buds, are allowed to replace them.

Renewal pruning

This method is a compromise between the above two methods. As with spur pruning, a framework of permanent branches is created. Each branch is considered separately then managed in the way that regulated pruning is applied to the whole tree. Temporary fruiting branches are maintained on permanent branches, but spurs are not encouraged. Most maiden laterals arising from the main branches are not pruned but allowed to develop both fruiting and vegetative growth. Having borne fruit for a few years these laterals are removed in favour of new growth.

Timing of pruning of apple and pear trees

Winter pruning tends to promote shoot growth over fruit production, while summer pruning suppresses growth and stimulates fruit production. Standard apple and pear trees are normally pruned during the winter between late October and early April, while the tree is dormant. Pruning late in the winter is preferable.

Pruning stone fruits

Pruning of these (plums, damsons, gages and cherries) should be kept to a minimum and confined to summer, as they are extremely susceptible to bacterial canker and silver leaf fungus. Prune trees to form an open-centred tree in a similar manner to regulated pruning. It is usually sufficient to just remove any dead, damaged or poorly placed wood.

Pruning cobnuts

Pruning normally takes place in winter. Cobnuts are usually pruned to form a bush tree with approximately 15 branches about 2 m high. Hard pruning is necessary to maintain this.

Pruning walnuts

Established walnuts should be pruned with caution as they are prone to dying back after pruning. Any pruning should be carried out between mid-summer and early autumn.

Fruit thinning

In a good year a tree can produce a heavy crop. However, the weight of these crops can damage branches, and crowded fruits are often small and disease-prone and ripen poorly. Damaged or misshapen fruitlets can be pinched-out while they are small, as can the central fruitlet in each cluster. This leaves evenly spaced single or double fruits that have sufficient space and light to develop fully.

Bark ringing

This is done to reduce the amount of nutrient moving up the tree, thus reducing its growth while still retaining the sugars that help in fruit development. It is done at blossom time and involves removing lateral strips of bark from the trunk. However, this process increases the risk of the tree becoming diseased.