Peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry and plum are usually pruned as open center trees. The Open Center or Vase type pruning is well adapted to the stone fruits that have a spreading habit. In our area, as leftovers from earlier orchard methods, we also see many old trees pruned in the Umbrella method. The training systemsmost used in pruning fruit trees are the Open Center, Central Leader, and Trellis (Espalier). Keep in mind the key phrase: When in doubt, thin it out! Make most of your cuts thinning cuts.
TREE IT WILL NOT OPEN FULL
Pruning is done primarily in the dormant season (November 15–April 15), so when looking at a shoot or branch to decide whether to thin or not, try to picture the branch as it will be when full of leaves in the summer, and eliminate shoots that will be too closely spaced. When heading is necessary, such as to shorten and stiffen up a long bare branch, make the heading cut into older wood, as this results in less regrowth. In most cases heading should be avoided, as it can result in a tree overcrowded with shoots that close off light channels and reduce productivity. Leaders or future scaffold branches can be headed to cause laterals to branch out. Heading should be used primarily for establishing branches in young trees. Heading cuts encourage growth of side branches at the point of the cut, from the part of the branch that remains. Heading is removing part of a shoot, branch, or limb (up to 1/3 to 1/2 of its length). Often just thinning out the limbs that are crowding or crossing over does an effective job of opening up the tree. Thinning cuts are the ones you should use most of the time, because they tend to open up light channels throughout the tree. Thinning is removing an entire shoot, branch, or limb, back to the point where it originated. The two types of pruning cuts you can make are thinning and heading. Limbs can also be tied down using ground clips (hop clips). Either spreaders (different lengths can be made or purchased) or weights that clip to the branches can be used to bend branches to a more horizontal position, so they will begin fruiting earlier. A number of accessories are useful in tree training.
Some prefer the folding saw for its handiness but non-folding types are good also.
Either bypass or anvil-type pruners can be used, but a bypass-type is better for close pruning such as is necessary on young trees. Most pruning can be handled with 3 tools: a hand pruner, a long-handled lopping shears, and a pruning saw. Training a tree that is open to the light, and easy to care for and to harvest, is the main consideration to keep in mind when pruning, whatever system you are using. Did you ever notice that the best fruit always seems to be in the top of the tree? It’s true, because that’s where the most light is available. A well pruned tree is easier to maintain and to harvest, and adds esthetic value to the home garden as well, but the primary reason for pruning is to ensure good access to sunlight. Fruit trees need pruning for two primary purposes: to establish the basic structure, and to provide light channels throughout the tree so that all the fruit can mature well.
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