Early spring, before bud break, is generally considered the best time to prune fruit and nut trees. Nathaniel Sperry thinks that is because early spring was when old time farmers had time to prune. Spring is a good time to prune fruit and nut trees if you are wanting to restructure the canopy. Pruning in the early spring will encourage heavy new growth. Summer pruning will accomplish other goals. Cuts made in the summer will tend to minimize new growth. We also recommend thinning fruit in the growing season to prevent limb breakage due to heavy fruit and mast weight.
We prune in both the summer and winter depending on what we are trying to accomplish with the tree. There are many ways to manage your fruit and nut trees and we can help you.
