Time to Prune Fruit Trees

            If you were a fruit farmer you’d be getting the pruners sharpened up around now. Is it because now is the best time to prune fruit trees? Not really. It’s OK; now’s as good a time as any I guess. But the number one reason they prune now, is that there’s nothing else to do down on the fruit farm at this time of year.

             To prune a fruit tree there are a few guidelines to follow:

                     First, remove everything that goes straight up; these are called water suckers.

                     Next, cut off anything that grows straight down; these might be called “suckies” I’m not

                     sure.

                    Then prune out all those branches that grow in toward the center of the tree; they will in

                    time conflict with the other branches you wish to keep.

            With those removed stand back and selectively prune out the few that would impede air flow and sunlight into the bulk of the tree branches. They will be the ones that make one side look thicker than the other.

            Don’t go wild with the pruners and prune back everything; you need a lot of branches and stems intact, for they have the “bud spurs” for this coming spring’s fruit crop. And let me tell you, if the spring cooperates and doesn’t perform like last year, there will be a bumper crop of fruit next year.

            If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at NiemeyerLandscaping@Gmail.com or post a comment on this Blog. And like us on Facebook at Niemeyer Landscaping

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