When to prune pear trees
- should you prune apple trees
- should you prune apple trees every year
- should you prune apple trees in the fall
- should you prune apple trees in the frost
How to prune an overgrown apple tree
Apple tree pruning guide!
Apples and pears: winter pruning
The aim of winter pruning is to maintain anopen-centred, goblet-shaped crown with well-spaced main branches radiating from the trunk.
This allows light to reach all parts of the tree and ensures good air flow through the canopy, resulting in better quality crops and fewer pests and diseases.
It should be done while the tree is dormant, after leaf fall and before it starts growing again (bud burst), which is usually between November and early March.
If youâre new to fruit pruning or arenât feeling very confident, first take a look at pruning made easy.
Which trees to winter prune
Winter pruning is for established apples and pears trained as bush trees (with a crown on a short trunk) or standard and half-standard trees (with a taller trunk), usually starting four or five years after planting.
For more recently planted trees, follow our advice on pruning young apples and pears. For space-saving restricted shapes, such as espaliers, cordons, fans and pyramids, use summer pruning.