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Tue, Jun 3, 14 at 17:11
| Back in early spring when they were still dormant, I thought my young trees looked reasonably pruned. Now that they've leafed out, I realize that I should have cut WAY more off. Seems that I only read the part of the book that said to cut out extra branches, and missed the part that says you also need to head back the branches. The weight of the leaves is enough to not only make the branches droop, but also twist so that branches cross that weren't even near each other a couple of months ago. Can I prune now without excessively exposing the trees to disease? I'm in zone 5/6 and at the moment weather is rather wet. The worst of it is with the peach & plum trees, but really all the trees could use a little more of a trim. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by desertdance So CA Zone 9b (My Page) on Tue, Jun 3, 14 at 20:01
| Agree! We inherited many fruiting trees, and no clue what to do, but we now know, PRUNE hard about now, let them grow, and then DORMANT SPRAY. And then THIN like 10 inches apart! Tough love! Suzi |
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- Posted by ChristyRocNY none (My Page) on Tue, Jun 3, 14 at 22:30
| So, if it's okay to prune now, then what is the big fuss about winter pruning? |
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| When the trees are leafless,it's easy to see the branches and be more detailed about what the desired shape might be. Summer pruning is more about keeping the size in check. Brady |
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| I like to do any "major" pruning during dormancy- if it needs saw or loppers I prefer it to be done during late winter. Once the tree starts bushing up I go back in and thin to keep it open and remove new stuff going the wrong direction. Also, as Brady says, summer pruning serves to keep the size of the tree in check, as it deprives the tree of photosynthetic sugars that it would otherwise be storing in the roots to fuel next year's growth. Winter pruning is also ultimately dwarfing, but will be followed in the spring by bushy growth. |
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- Posted by ChristyRocNY none (My Page) on Wed, Jun 4, 14 at 9:21
| Do I need to do anything special to avoid leaving the tree susceptible to disease? |
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| Rain might be the major thing that could introduce unwanted things.So if available,pick a stretch of dry weather. Brady |
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