In this time when we are all home, caring for each other, and needing meaningful work, I can think of nothing better than efforts in the orchards and gardens, growing our own food and reducing dependence on synthetic foods.  My focus is honed sharper by the quarantine towards daily care of the trees and land that nurture us if we put in the nurturing work ourselves.

We have seven fruit trees on our home property.  And each spring they get a look over and pruning, increasing tree health and harvest bounty.  We have three established apples, two abundant pears, a healthy cherry, and two younger plumbs.  I use all the fruit for eating fresh, preserving by canning, freezing and drying.  And the work is more than worth the satisfaction of feeding the children our own foods.

Many’s the time friends have asked if I know how to prune correctly, and though it’s a learning curve as you get to know your trees, and though I’m not an expert, I’ve been taught by the best and we have an impressive fruit yield every year.  So I offer up a pruning tutorial for anyone to hack away.

When I bought our property, I saw it’s trees as it’s finest wealth, and knew their care would be important, so when I met a down-home, crunchy hippie who had been pruning local orchards for decades, I soaked up the knowledge.  Anyone can do it as the concepts are simple, but many people I’ve talked to want a walk through of the basics, so here’s what I learned that’s served us.

Pruning Methods

Picture the end result of your fruit tree being an upside-down umbrella, with branches exposed to maximum sunlight.  The tree should look from above like a cup for light.

If there are suckers–the branches in spring that shoot straight up–these should be pruned at their base.  Sucker branches simply take up water and energy from the tree and do not produce fruit.

Of the more established branches, prune those that grow inwards if they are potentially blocking light from others.  And of the branches that end up growing down or away from the upward cup you’re creating, prune those back as well.

Depending on the height your tree has already reached, you may want to prune it way down, simply for the ease of picking fruit at harvest.  Don’t be afraid to prune a lot as long as there is adequate water, because the tree will always grow again.

And don’t be afraid if the tree looks like a bare skeleton when you’re done.  The energy of the tree concentrated towards fruit, not needless branches, is what we’re going for.  Think most about sculpting the umbrella-like shape.

One thing I learned in the beginning that surprised me was the flexibility of timing.  Yes, cold months post-harvest or pre-budding are excellent times, but fruit trees can be pruned any time without cutting fruit yield, as long as the pruning is done before flower buds form.

New trees of course should be allowed to grow, without pruning for the first couple years.  But with established fruit trees, pruning will most always benefit them.  These methods are the basics to get started, but as I learned, your pruning over the years will hone to your particular trees and their environment.

Preparing our trees to grow fruit is a lovely, timely, productive activity–and grounding work in this time of uncertainty.

Peace, from our orchard branches to yours!  Gina @ Soul & Stomach