•Bush
•Pyramid
•Cordon,
Single, double
or triple
•Half standard
•Dwarf pyramid
•Standard
•Spindle bush
•Fan
•Palmette
•Espalier
•Stepover
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TOPPING
SIDE LATERAL
CROSS OVER
PARALLEL BRANCHES
SPUR
GRAFT UNION
SUCKERS
DEAD OR BROKEN
LEADER
GROWTH BUD
BUD
DIRECTIONAL

HARD VS LIGHT

FRUITING HABIT
Prune weak growth hard and strong
growth light. Hard pruning lessens the
amount of flower buds being served by
tree and allows for better production from
the remaining bugs.
Heavy crops produce small
unsatisfactory fruits /
biennial bearing
Blossom thinning
BALANCE
Younger wood produces
finer fruit
10 days after blossom pinch out 9 of
every 10 blossoms

Apple & pear on 2 year wood
Sour cherry, peach & nectarine on
previous year
Plum, sweet cherry & apricot on 2 year
and older
Fruit thinning

ROOT
Best done on young trees in winter.
Lift, prune and replant.
Large trees done over 2 year span .
Stake after pruning.

CANKER - Generally affects apples.

CROWDED OR CROSSING - Touching branches
Heavily cankered trees
should be discarded. Cut tree below infected area where healthy
tissue resumes. Disinfect tools.
lead to bark/insect damage. Overcrowding creates stagnant air,
poor circulation.

BROKEN – Cut branches or exposed bark are susceptible to
water penetration.

TRAINED FORMS - Reduce growth and thin congested
spurs. Try to regain form, if not feasible, replace tree.
NEVER TAKE OFF MORE THAN ¼ OF TREE.
oAPPLE
oPEACH
oPEAR
oQUINCE
oPLUM
oCHERRY
oNECTARINE
oAPRICOT
oMULBERRY
oFIGS
oPERSIMMON
oSelf
fertile.
oSpur
bearers – fruit on 3 year wood or older.
oPrune
in late winter or early spring.
SPUR PRUNING - Shorten laterals to
increase fruiting side shoots. Continual spur
pruning eventually leads to congestion.
Pushes production closer to main branches.
o
oSPUR
THINNING – Pruning out spurs that
have become congested or overcrowded.
oTIP
PRUNING – Cut older shoots back to 1 or
2 buds. Remove shoots after 2 years of
fruiting.

SUMMER PRUNING – Formally trained
trees. Cordons, espalier and fan tree
forms. Used to restrict growth and
encourage fruiting bud formation.

AKA – The Lorette System Where all shoots, 6-9 inches are
pruned to 2 inch length. Creating a
woody base. Pruning is continued
throughout summer on shoots
stimulated from 1st round of pruning.
Also used to discourage secondary
growth.
oFruit
on shoots from previous year.
oLate
winter or early spring. Silver leaf disease.
oRemove
oPrune
oSelf
fruited growth and promote new shoots.
to growth bud, not flower bud.
fertile.

Like warm, sheltered growth
areas.

Propagated by grafting.

Fruit on 2 year wood or older.

Late winter or early spring.
Winter, spur thinning or large
branch removal. Spring,
blossom or fruit thinning.

Regular thinning to prevent
overcrowding.

Self fertile.
oGrown
as large bush
oFrequent
suckers
oCan
be shaped into fan
or palmette
oFruits
on spurs and tips of
1 year shoots
oSelf
fertile
oPrune
in winter
oFruit
at base of year old wood and along 2 year and
older stems.
oProne
to disease and infections like silver leaf disease
and cankers.
oPrune
at bud break. Dead wood in late summer or
Autumn.
oUse
care to not prune back too much young growth.
oPropagated
by grafting.






Fruit on older wood and
base of previous years
growth.
Pruning in winter makes tree
susceptible to silver leaf
disease.
Prune for training at bud
burst in spring for new trees
and summer for established
trees.
Prune out diseased, dying or
dead wood immediately.
Remove shoots with narrow
forks or V angles.
Fruit thinning rarely needed.

Easier to grow in colder
climates.

Fruits only on shoots from
previous year.

Pruning in winter makes
tree susceptible to silver
leaf disease.

Prune at bud burst to train
new tree or summer for
established.

More cold tolerant.
oFruit
borne on shoots
from previous year
oPrune
in late winter to
early spring
oBest
done as buds are
bursting
oRemove
growth and
encourage new shoots
oVulnerable
disease
oPrune
to silver leaf
when in blossom
to thin out fruit.
oSelf
fertile.
oFruits
on 2 year wood or older.
oPrune
spring.
as buds are bursting in
oNever
prune in winter , risk of
infection is greatest.
oAre
easily affected by late
frost. Do not plant on warm,
south facing walls.
oSparse
crops will increase
growth, control by pruning.
oPrune
winter
from early to mid
oTrees
may bleed when
pruned
oRemove
dead wood in
oMaintain
central leader
summer
oSummer
prune new shoots
to 5 leaves to keep tree
compact
oNeed
cold winters and hot
summers to fruit well
Long, hot summer for good fruit
production.
o
oGrown
in bush form in Boise, with
yearly dieback.
oThree
stage fruiting – overwinter,
spring and summer.
oPrune
to encourage embryo figs
in leaf axils to develop.
oPrune
in early spring after frost
danger has passed.
oPropagated
from cuttings.
Good fruit production requires cold
winters and chilling period with long
hot summer.
o
o
Fruit on current seasons growth.
o
Does not tolerate heavy pruning.
Thin inner growth in winter to
promote air circulation.
o
o
Remove winter damage in summer.
Remove weak branches and brittle
wood.
o
o
Remove weak crotches.
o
Propagated from grafting.