orchard – Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County

By Jeff Kanters, NC State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteer of Durham County

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” –Socrates

This is an installment in our ongoing series “The Budding Orchardist,” where Jeff Kanters, orchard team leader, shares his know-how on growing fruit.

It’s summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime as the song goes.

Among the many tasks the orchard team has during the growing season at Briggs Avenue Community Garden’s Teaching Orchard, the most critical for fruit trees is summer pruning. So, let’s explore the when, why, and how of that activity.

When: Proper Pruning Time in the Orchard

Whereas winter pruning is completed in January, summer pruning is completed by the summer solstice or June 21^st. We strive to start the pruning by the middle of June to complete the pruning by the 21^st of the month.

Why: Purposes of Summer Pruning Fruit Trees

While winter pruning corrects for shape, pruning the trees at peak summer manages the size of the tree by removing much of the accumulated sugars built from photosynthesis that are still held in the canopy of the trees. This is important because starting in July, the trees–having maxed out their summer growth–begin to move the sugars in their canopies down to the roots for storage during the upcoming winter. By reducing the amount of sugars moved to the roots at the right time, we reduce the overall vigor of the tree. With repeated summer pruning, we can keep the tree at a much smaller size for ease of future maintenance and fruit harvest. The orchard team of Master Gardener volunteers aims to maintain the fruit trees to a height of between 8 and 10 feet.

How: Proper Pruning Techniques for Fruit Trees

We prune out roughly two thirds of the current season’s canopy growth. This includes dead or diseased limbs, crossing limbs, limbs growing inward, downward or upward so the center of the tree is opened. We prune to outward facing buds to push a potential limb out from the center of the tree to more sunlight. This is an aggressive pruning, but our aim is to secure the long-term health of the tree. Trees that are overgrown in size are more prone to diseases, limbs breaking from the weight of excess fruit that is smaller and of lesser quality, and a hampered ability to manage and care for the tree. If fruit trees are left unpruned, they may reach heights of 20 to 25 feet tall, well beyond the reach of many homeowners and small orchards.

Summer pruned orchard rows at the Briggs Avenue Community Garden’s Teaching Orchard. Note the manageable size we keep the fruit trees for easy maintenance. (Image credit: Jeff Kanters)

In addition to size, shape matters. We prune our peaches and plums to an open bowl shape and our apples and pears to a central leader or Christmas tree shape. Both keep the inside of the tree open to maximize good air circulation, photosynthesis, healthy and higher quality fruit production, and ease of harvesting.

(Left to right) Summer pruned peach tree showing the open center bowl shape maintained for stone fruit trees and summer pruned pear tree showing the central leader or Christmas tree shape. This promotes is good air-circulation, which reduces disease pressure. (Image credit: Jeff Kanters)

Summer pruning is a necessity to ensure future success in achieving manageable-sized healthy trees that produce delicious fruit. And of course, all this advice applies to all fruit trees whether it be those in a small teaching orchard or one just outside your back door.

Resources and Additional Information

Below you will find references on growing and pruning fruit trees.

Fruit Trees (General)

Grow a Little Fruit Tree: Simple Pruning Techniques for Small Space, Easy Harvest Fruit Trees; Dec 30,2014; Ann Ralph
North Carolina Production Guide for Smaller Orchard Plantings: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/north-carolina-production-guide-for-smaller-orchard-plantings
North Carolina Extension Gardner Handbook, Chapter 15 Tree Fruits and Nuts: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/15-tree-fruit-and-nuts

Fruit Tree Pruning Basics

Article Short Link https://wp.me/p2nIr1-4OV

by Eric Wiebe, EMGV

Are out of control tree and shrub branches getting you down? For fruit and nut trees in particular, branch spacing and angle are important for both fruit and branch health. Proper spacing allows for good air circulation and optimal light gain for the leaves. Branches that grow at too steep an angle are also at risk of snapping off under a heavy load of fruit. While branch angle modification is probably most common on edible fruit trees, these techniques can also be used on ornamental trees and shrubs to improve their aesthetics and plant health.

If you have a branch that you want to preserve but it is growing at too steep (vertical) an angle, the two most common methods for getting it more horizontal is either spacers or weights hung off of the branch. Over the course of a season, as the branch continues to grow, it conforms to this new angle of growth and the spacer or weight can be removed. In many ways, weights are the most versatile method of pulling branches down. This blog post will show you how to make your own weights to use at home.

With very young branches, sometimes something as little as a clothespin provides enough weight to pull them down. However, as the branches get thicker in girth or more vertical, more weight is needed. For these cases, additional weight can be added directly to the clothespin in the form of hanging weights made from cement.

Making these weights only take a few supplies (Figure 1):

Powdered concrete patch mix
Disposable sample cups (2-3 oz)
Large paper clips or other stiff wire
A container for mixing
A stirring stick (like a paint stirrer)
Water
Clothespins (for hanging the weights)

Fig. 1: Supplies needed for the project. All photos: Eric Wiebe

Set out as many cups as you want weights. Keep in mind that the cement hardens quickly, so you may want to start with a dozen or fewer. Now bend your wire/paperclips into a shape like seen in Figure 2. Note that one end will sink into the cement and anchor it while the other end will fit into the clothespin.

Now you’re ready to mix up the cement. Follow instructions on the cement package. You may want to use disposable gloves, as the cement can be an irritant and will stick to your skin. Add water in very small quantities, as it is easy to get the mix too liquid. You will want something the consistency of a cake batter (Figure 3, proper cement consistency).

Pour or scoop the cement into the individual plastic cups. Note that you will probably want differing weights, so fill your cups to different levels. Immediately work the wire hangers about ½” under the surface of the cement (Figure 4).

Make sure all the wire hangers are straight and let the cement harden for the time recommended on the package. Once the cement is hardened, you can cut the cups off the cement and your weights are complete! You can use an old egg carton to hold your weights in (Figure 5).

Try out your weights out on some branches. Your wire hanger should sit comfortably between the two pin halves near the spring. By adjusting the weight amount, the location of the weight on the branch, or both, you can get varying degrees of pull down on the branch. Don’t overdo it, as you don’t want to break the branch off.

Happy growing!

References

Producing Fruit Trees for Home Use – NC Cooperative Extension

Extension Gardener Handbook – Tree Fruit & Nuts – Pruning and Training

Shortlink: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-3qf