Pruning Apples and Pears: A Beginner’s Guide

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Quick Facts

  • Suitable for: Apples and pears grown as bush or standard trees.
  • Timing: Winter (November to early March) when trees are leafless.
  • Difficulty: Easy.

Why Prune?

Pruning helps shape the tree, promotes new fruiting wood, and enhances the tree’s productivity. Proper pruning ensures better light and air circulation within the canopy, reducing the risk of diseases.

Five Essential Tips for Pruning

  1. How Much to Prune?
    • Remove 10–20% of the canopy each winter.
    • Avoid over-pruning to prevent vigorous regrowth of watershoots (upright, non-fruiting branches).
  2. What to Achieve?
    • Encourage young, fruit-bearing wood (1–4 years old).
    • Create an open center to improve light penetration and air circulation.
  3. Avoid the ‘Haircut’ Effect
    • Stagger cuts throughout the canopy.
    • Pruning only the top branches leads to uneven growth and reduced fruiting.
  4. Mind Your Cuts
    • Avoid pruning large limbs (over 10–12 cm/4–5 in diameter) to prevent decay.
    • Focus on medium branches (1–5 cm/½–2 in).
  5. Skip the Pruning Paint
    • No need for pruning paint on apple or pear trees.

Step-by-Step Pruning Process

  1. Inspect the Tree:
    • Remove dead, diseased, or damaged wood.
    • Thin out crowded areas to improve spacing.
  2. Focus on Fruiting Wood:
    • Retain young wood for fruit production.
    • Remove older, unproductive wood.
  3. Remove Watershoots:
    • If convenient, prune watershoots to encourage branching or remove them entirely.
  4. Keep Cuts Clean:
    • Use sharp secateurs or pruning saws for precise cuts.

Common Problems & Solutions

  • Lichen: Harmless; no action needed.
  • Mummified Fruit: Remove and dispose of infected fruit to prevent the spread of brown rot.
  • Apple Canker: Cut out affected branches where possible.
  • Blossom Wilt: Prune out dead shoot tips in late spring/summer.
  • Honey Fungus/Dieback: Seek professional arborist advice if the problem persists.
  • Natural Cavities: Leave undisturbed unless they worsen or fungus appears.

Additional Resources

  • RHS Advice Pages: Detailed guides on pruning newly planted, espalier-trained, or cordon trees.
  • Pruning Established Fans: For advanced gardeners with fan-trained trees.
  • Monthly Gardening Calendar: Seasonal care tips for fruit trees.

Tools You’ll Need

  • Sharp secateurs.
  • Quality pruning saw.
  • Ladder (fruit tripod ladders recommended for safety).

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