Tips For Pruning Neglected Fruit Trees For Better Health And Higher Yields
If you've recently moved to a property with mature fruit trees, you may wonder about the best way to prune them, so they look nice and bear the most fruit. If the trees have been neglected for several seasons, you may want to hire a tree care service to get them back in shape. That makes it easier for you to maintain them in the following seasons. Here are a few tips for pruning your fruit trees.
Winter Or Early Spring Is Best
The best time for pruning most trees is in the late winter or early spring before they are lush with leaves again. However, be sure to check for the right time to prune based on the type of fruit tree you have in case it has other requirements. Pruning when the branches are bare makes it easier to see the structure of the tree and reach the branches. It also prepares the tree to fill out in a pleasing shape once it grows leaves, flowers, and then fruit. However, you can probably have the trees professionally pruned any season of the year if you're in a hurry to get your trees in shape.
Sharp Tools Are Vital
Pruning a tree isn't too difficult as long as the branches are thin enough to remove with loppers. If you need to have limbs or large branches removed, or have work done at the top of a tree, then hiring a service is the safest thing to do. Choosing the right tools for yearly maintenance is important, but the most important thing is to use tools in good condition. The loppers or saws should be sharp.
They may become dull after being used, or when in storage, so it's a good idea to have them sharpened at a local hardware store before you begin pruning. You'll want to care for your pruning tools properly, so they stay sharp and avoid rust. Keep them in a dry place and oil them if recommended by the manufacturer to keep them protected while in storage. Sharp tools make clean cuts and prevent shredding and bark damage that allows insects and infections to harm your trees.
Diseased And Damaged Branches Go First
The first step in pruning a fruit tree is to get rid of broken branches and those infested with bugs and disease. After that, sprouts and branches growing in unwanted directions can be removed, so the tree takes on a pleasing shape. Finally, the branches can be pruned to stimulate more vigorous growth for increased fruit yields.
However, removing diseased parts of the tree is an important first step as this keeps the infection or bug infestation from spreading. After pruning diseased tree branches, your tools should be disinfected to avoid spreading the disease. Also, you'll want to remove the branches from the area quickly to get the infection far away from the healthy trees.
Pruning fruit trees can be a lot of work if they've been neglected for a long time, but once your trees are in good shape, the job is easier in the following seasons. Pruning fruit trees protects their health and increases the amount of fruit you enjoy each year, so hiring a service to restore their shape and then learning how to maintain the trees after that is worth it.
For more information, contact a company like Alley Tree Removal.