Pruning Deciduous Fruit Trees

If you’re growing deciduous fruit trees, it’s important to prune them properly. The best time to prune is in late winter or early spring.

Shape mature peach, nectarine, and plum trees so that they have an open, cup-shaped canopy. You want the limbs to be evenly distributed around the sides of the cup.

Apple and pear trees should be pruned and trained so that they have five to seven well-spaced limbs around a dominant central trunk.

Spend some time researching what correct pruning looks like before you start cutting, so that you don’t inadvertently harm the tree. Your local Extension office can help.

Follow proper pruning practices, and your fruit trees will reward you with bigger yields that are easier to harvest.

UF/IFAS Sites

• FruitScapes: Pruning the Peach Tree for Best Results (Video)

UF/IFAS Publications

• Deciduous Fruit for the Home Garden in Central Florida
• For a Peachy Good Time, Prune Trees in the Dormant Season (PDF)
• It's Time to Prune Those Overgrown Fruit Trees (PDF)
• Training and Pruning Florida Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums
• When to Prune Deciduous Ornamental and Fruit Trees (PDF)

Also on Gardening in a Minute

• Deciduous Fruit Trees
• Pruning Trees and Shrubs

Other Sites

• Frequently Asked Questions About Peach Tree Maintenance--Alabama Cooperative Extension Service
• Pruning Peaches and Nectarines--Clemson Cooperative Extension