Scientific NameMalus domestica Special ConsiderationsApples need sturdy branches. Heading cuts are necessary. Fruit grows on:Old wood (spurs). Spurs form on one to three year old trees. Spurs continue to produce fruit for eight to 10 years, then die off. Trees are continually generating new…
Scientific NamePrunus armeniaca Special ConsiderationsApricots bloom early (February or March). Therefore, late spring rains can limit pollination.Apricots are susceptible to a number of diseases, including eutypa, a water-borne fungal disease. As a result, apricots should be pruned only when rains are…
Scientific NamePrunus avium Special ConsiderationsGenerally, cherries are the most difficult fruit trees to keep alive. They do not tolerate wet feet and are very susceptible to brown rot, bacterial canker, root and crown rots, and eutypa, a water-borne fungal disease. As a result, cherries should be…
Scientific NameFicus carica Special ConsiderationsBlack figs require light pruning only. Fruit grows on:Old wood (on spurs).What to Prune in WinterRemove dead, diseased or damaged branches.Remove crossing branches.Remove any suckers growing from the base of the tree or from the roots.Use thinning…
Scientific NameFicus carica Special ConsiderationsWhite and brown figs (e.g., Kadota, Thompson) require heavy pruning, because they produce fruit on new growth. Each winter, the wood that formed during the previous growing season must be almost completely removed to promote healthy new growth…
Scientific NameCitrus x limon Special ConsiderationsMany lemons (especially, Meyer lemons) flower and fruit all year long. Therefore, removal of some flowers and fruit while pruning is often inevitable. The natural habit of lemons is to grow tall upright branches from the center of the tree,…
Scientific NamePrunus persica Special ConsiderationsPeaches flower along the entire length of the wood formed during the previous year, but only the buds in the central third of that growth are ideal for fruit production. Therefore, it is essential not to cut back the branches retained for this year’s…
Scientific NamePyrus Special ConsiderationsPears are similar to apples, except that their branches tend to grow nearly straight up. It is necessary to keep these vertical branches shorter, both to make the fruit accessible and to encourage the growth of fruit spurs. Pears are very susceptible to…
Scientific NameDiospyros kaki Special ConsiderationsPersimmon wood is brittle. Therefore, it is important to develop strong scaffold branches with wide angles (nearly horizontal) early in the life of the plant. Because persimmon bear fruit on both new wood and one year-old wood, opening the plant by…
Scientific NamePrunus subg. Prunus Special ConsiderationsPlum trees are susceptible to Silver Leaf disease. Infected branches should be removed and placed in the trash. Dispose of the diseased branches in the trash. Do not recycle and do not compost. Plum trees also are susceptible to gumming …
