art of pruning

A delicate balance of youthful expression and established maturity a well-pruned fruit tree makes. To sharpen my teeth on recent lessons in pruning I got to work on the assorted fruit trees planted around the yard. The trick, as I was taught, is to maintain a productive vegetative cycle while still allowing the tree to have fruiting potential. This means managing the older growth as well as suppressing some of the newer growth, as fruit arises from growth older than one year. As a general rule, 10% of the tree is removed in the pruning process. The tree is also shaped to facilitate ease of harvest and so that it does not become too large to maintain. An art, truly, and one not easily understood even under the tutelage of an experienced orchardist. "When in doubt, cut it out" as Bob would tell us. Observe the trees' growth behavior in the coming season and adjust your future pruning endeavors to suit the habit of the tree.