Trimming and pruning fruit trees in winter is an essential task for any backyard orchardist. While summer pruning focuses on controlling growth and improving fruit quality, the goals of winter pruning are more structural – controlling tree height, removing diseased wood, and improving air circulation and light penetration in the canopy.
Proper winter pruning sets up your fruit trees for health and productivity in the seasons to come. Follow this beginner’s guide to learn when how and why to trim your apple, peach, pear and other fruit trees during the dormant winter months.
When to Trim Fruit Trees in Winter
Winter pruning should occur when the tree is fully dormant, after it has lost all of its leaves. This timing varies by growing zone and species, but generally aim to prune between late November and early March.
Some guidelines for timing winter fruit tree pruning
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Wait until all leaves have dropped in autumn. Pruning too early can lead to dieback.
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Avoid pruning during freezing weather, as this can damage tree tissues.
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Complete pruning before early spring growth begins. Your window is narrow!
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Stone fruits like plums, cherries, and apricots should only be pruned in summer to avoid silver leaf disease.
Why Prune Fruit Trees in Winter?
Pruning in winter offers several key benefits:
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You can better see the tree structure without leaves in the way
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Large branches and diseased wood are more safely removed when dormant
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Invigorating cuts stimulate new growth in spring
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Air circulation is improved through the tree canopy
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Light penetration is increased, which reduces pest and disease pressure
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Tree height and shape are easier to control
How to Trim Fruit Trees in Winter
Follow these steps for trimming your fruit trees in winter:
1. Remove Any Dead, Diseased, or Broken Branches
Clear out branches that are dead, damaged, or infected with disease first. These serve no purpose and can harbor pests.
2. Take Out Crossing, Rubbing, and Overcrowded Branches
Branches that rub together may get damaged. Overcrowded branches also allow less light and air penetration.
3. Shorten or Remove Inward-Facing and Low-Hanging Branches
Branches growing inward crowd the tree center. Low branches impede air flow and shade the trunk.
4. Cut Back Secondary Scaffold Branches
Shortening overgrown side branches helps maintain the tree’s shape.
5. Head Back Competing Central Leader Stems
Leave the best-positioned central leader, removing competing stems.
6. Control Tree Height as Needed
If overgrown, heading back upper branches or dehorning the central leader reduces tree height.
7. Clean Up Water Sprouts and Suckers
Prune off vigorous vertical waterspouts and basal suckers as they compete with desired branches.
8. Tip-Prune Current Season’s Growth
For young trees only, tip prune long whippy shoots to encourage branching and slow growth.
9. Disinfect Pruning Tools Between Cuts
Dip tools in rubbing alcohol or diluted bleach to prevent disease spread.
Aim to remove no more than 25% of the tree’s canopy in one year. Excessive pruning stresses the tree. Go slowly over several years for major structural changes.
Special Winter Pruning Techniques
Beyond basic pruning, some additional advanced techniques to employ in winter include:
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Renewal pruning – Complete removal of old, unproductive branches back to the trunk to encourage new replacement shoots.
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Bench renewal – Renewal pruning of the bottom scaffold branches and trunk to rejuvenate old trees.
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Dehorning – Drastic chopping back of oversized, top-heavy central leaders to reduce tree height.
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Spur removal – Removing small fruiting spurs to redirect growth into branches.
These intensive methods stimulate vigorous new growth but delay fruiting. Use judiciously on mature trees showing decline.
Winter is prime time for restructuring and renewal pruning of fruit trees. A thoughtful pruning regimen tailored to the individual tree will pay dividends in health, growth, and production for years to come. Take advantage of your orchard’s dormant season to trim trees into shape before spring growth explodes!
How do I winter prune?
Think about your tree as you walk around it and decide how you will prune it and which branches will be left alone for new growth. Take your time with this; if you don’t have a plan, it’s easy to cut too many branches or remove one that you later decide is worth keeping. You should think about which branches you will cut off this year and which ones you will cut off next year. Just make sure you don’t throw the tree off balance in the process. If the tree is looking out of balance, prop it up with a sturdy branch or post.
Remove some dead or broken branches
Infections can get in through these, they block air flow and light from getting to the rest of the tree, and if they fall, they can do more damage. If you want to keep a tree habitat that is good for biodiversity, you should leave some dead wood because many species depend on it. A compromise can be maintained between the needs of the tree and those organisms living on it. Large trees that are reasonably healthy are better able to support some damaged or decaying wood. If the orchard is only being managed for conservation purposes and not to grow fruit, coronet cuts can be made and snags can be left to make a home for wildlife. Older trees have places for deadwood in their framework boughs and trunk, so extra deadwood in the canopy is not as important.
Long and heavy branches that look dangerous, are too long, are likely to break, or are throwing off the balance of the tree should be cut down. If you need to remove a dead branch, cut it off at the base instead of going through the living wood.
How To Winter Prune Fruit Trees For Maximum Fruit Production & Tree Health!
FAQ
What month do you trim fruit trees?
How to prune trees in winter?
Should you prune a fruit tree in the winter?
The benefit of pruning at this time is that you can identify (and remove) the branches that did not survive the winter. This is especially true for those who grow tender fruit trees, such as peach or apricot. Pruning in the spring, however, will not encourage as much growth in your tree as it would if you had pruned in the late winter.
What is fruit tree pruning?
A: Fruit tree pruning is a specialized form of pruning. With fruit tree pruning, our goal is to enhance fruit production and improve the health of the tree. In contrast, pruning native or ornamental trees focuses on removing dead and diseased branches and aesthetics.
Should a fruit tree be pruned before planting?
Pruning fruit trees also helps the tree receive sunlight on all of its branches (not just the tops and sides. Further, pruning allows better airflow to the tree and its fruit. How Old Should a Fruit Tree Be Before Pruning? Most fruit trees don’t require major pruning for the first 3 to 5 years of their growth.
How do you prune a fruit tree?
For established fruit trees you are aiming to maintain its health and boost the potential cropping. Pruning often includes thinning the canopy to allow more light and air into the tree and removing branches growing downwards or into the center of the tree.
When is the best time to trim fruit trees?
With a little bit of cold-weather work, you will set your fruit trees off to a perfect start when spring rolls around. You can actually trim the fruit trees during the spring and summer months. However, the winter is actually the best time to do this simple chore. One of the biggest reasons why is that it’s easier for you during this time.
How do you keep a fruit tree tidier in winter?
Pruning and removing these branches in the winter will allow the fruit tree to send its resources only to where it really counts. Cut the branches all the way back to the trunk of the tree or to a spot where the damaged branch connects to a larger limb. This will help keep the tree looking tidier.