Fruit Handbook for Western Washington: Pruning

1. Fruit Handbook for Western Washington:Pruning Gary A. Moulton & Jacqueline KingWSU Mount Vernon NWREC http://maritimefruit.wsu.edu/

2. Apical dominance of vertical tip buds How a Tree Grows Shoots at flatter angles are less apically dominant at tip

3. Vertical Tip bud generates hormone Shoot growth reduced progressively from tip to base Zone of spur development

4. Limb Angle Regulates Growth • Vertically positioned shootsstrong vegetative growth but produce fewer fruit buds • Horizontally positioned shoots weaker growth at the tip but produce more fruit buds

5. Fruit buds (spurs) develop on branches in a more horizontal position. New 1-year shoots End shoot is strongest Fruit spurs on 2-3 year branch

6. Why Prune? • We prune to open light channels • Good light channels throughout the tree enhance tree health and improve fruit quality • We prune to keep the tree in balance

7. Two types of pruning cuts • Thinning – cutting out a whole branch or shoot back to its origin • Heading – cutting off part of a branch or shoot

8. Thinning cuts take out entire branches or shoots

9. Heading cuts take off part of a branch or shoot

10. Thinning Cuts • Open light channels • Increase fruit production and quality

11. Heading Cuts • Tend to close off light channels • Decrease fruit production

12. Thinning vs. Heading: Results

13. Pruning

14. Pruning

15. Thin shoots as you would thin a corn patch

16. Space the shoots to let in light and air

17. Pruning

18. Why head at all? • To stiffen or shorten a a branch • To increase branching

19. Heading to stiffen or shorten a long branch

20. Branch is headed and upper branches reduced to prevent shading of lower areas in tree

21. Development of unheaded shoot vs. headed - heading stimulates branching at the cut

22. Old neglected tree full of old water shoots

23. Before pruning (L) After pruning (R)

24. After removing water shoots – better light to tree, easier access

25. Compare the tree on right, after corrective pruning, to the unpruned tree at left.

26. Pruning principles are the same For both dwarf trees and standard size trees

27. Establish your scaffold limbs at their permanent height above ground

28. The scaffold limbs become the main permanent structure of the mature tree.

29. No more than 4-5 main branches form the lower scaffold.

30. Weaker branches can be tied up at a more vertical angle to increase vigor.

31. Large diameter branches should be in the bottom of the tree and kept open to light

32. Pruning

33. Pruning

34. Keep ladder bays open by removing crowded branches.

35. After opening ladder bays, there is more space and light access.

36. Remove upright shoots that close light channels between branch tiers

37. Small weaker branches should be in the top of the tree To let in light throughout the tree

38. Before Pruning

39. After Pruningshowing spacing between scaffold tiers

40. Keep upper branch diameter smaller to prevent shading in the lower limbs

41. Open Center Pruning for Most Stone Fruit

42. Peach branch on Open Center Scaffold before pruning

43. Remove shoots that are too vigorous particularly at the terminal ends of branches

44. Remove shoots that grow into the center of the tree.

45. Thin out shoots that are crowded together.

46. < Before pruning Pruning completed

47. Limb positioning is very important for branch vigor and fruit management

48. Young apple tree before spreading

49. Limb spreading to 45o angle using tie-downs

50. Spread a vigorous young tree like this before you prune