There's no one size fits all method when it comes to pruning fruit trees and not all fruiting plants require an annual prune. Discover when, why and how to prune popular fruit trees.
- You don't necessarily need to prune each year, in fact you may remove fruiting wood. The best pruning method depends on the type of tree.
- Pruning helps maintain a certain shape (research your tree variety and the best growing shape), encourages new growth and lets the sun, birds and air in.
- Prune on a dry day, using clean, sharp tools. Seal cuts larger than 2.5cm with pruning paste or water based paint to prevent disease entering.
All fruit trees are different in terms of their fruiting wood. Here's the rules for each tree:
Pruning Feijoa Trees
1. Feijoas fruit on new wood that grows in spring.
2. Prune in winter after fruiting unless you live in a frost prone area. If you're in a frost prone area, prune the tips in summer avoiding fruiting branches.
3. Maintain a 'Bush' shape removing dead, week, diseased or criss-crossing wood.
4. Make cuts on a sloping angle above an outward facing bud.
Pruning Citrus Trees
1. Citrus fruit continuously in warm regions.
2. Prune any time if you live in a frost free area. If frosts are possible, wait until spring after fruiting.
3. Maintain a 'Bush' shape removing dead, week, diseased or criss-crossing wood.
4. Make cuts on a sloping angle above an outward facing bud.
Pruning Plum Trees
1. Prune yearly in late summer after harvest.
2. Maintain a 'Vase' or 'Fan' shape.
3. Plums produce fruit on spurs that grow on 1-3 year old wood.
4. Make cuts on a sloping angle, shorten weak laterals and trim back laterals that have already fruited. Thin vigourous shoots back by one third.
That's a good pruning start! Follow our Fruit Tree Pruning Guide here >
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Tui Grow Guides - Pruning Fruit Trees Comments
It's my first time growing a lemon tree, now I know what I have to do when pruning time comes, thanks for the info. ☺
Sapphire Knight
Hi Sapphire, generally citrus do not need pruning at the end of every season like other fruit trees do, the only time they would need pruning is if there is a vigorous shoot which can be cut back by approximately a third or the tree needs shaping. Citrus fruit on current or new seasons growth, so hard pruning will reduce fruiting and stimulate rootstock suckers grow. It is a good idea to remove weak spindly growth, criss-crossing branches or dead wood. When pruning citrus is it advisable to paint any wounds bigger than your little finger with a pruning paste or water based paint to seal the wound to keep the lemon tree borer from entering the wound. Lemon tree borer fly in spring so try to avoid pruning at this time. If you live in a frost prone area avoid pruning too late in autumn, the soft new growth doesn’t have time to harden off, the new growth gets damaged by frost. The best time to prune, if you need to, is early spring.
Lianne