A recently pruned fruit tree is rarely considered a thing of beauty, but the fruit that it will produce certainly is a wonder of nature. Proper pruning of fruit trees allows more energy to be put into fruit production – resulting in more and larger fruit. With a few simple steps, a pair of hand pruners and a pruning saw, you can have that old apple tree in the backyard shaped up in no time.

When pruning apple, cherry, peach, nectarine and apricot trees, always remove less than one-third of the tree – more can stress the trees. Pear trees should not have more than one-tenth removed because they tend to sucker heavily when pruned hard. Plum trees grow slower and typically require less pruning than other fruits; concentrate on thinning small branches and heading back long branches (methods described below).

Start by removing dead wood. This will speed the tree’s healing process and help protect it from future disease problems. Branches that are split or cracked should also be removed – they will never completely heal and can be an entry point for disease.

Next, work on removing any sucker growth. Suckers are sprouts that the tree produces when it is under stress and rarely produce fruit. They are usually unbranched and grow directly upward. Although suckers are common around the base of the tree, they will also form around wounded areas and occasionally within the upper branches of the tree. Suckers are also sometimes referred to as water sprouts.

Once the dead wood and suckers are removed, you can begin work on tree structure. The tree’s wintry nakedness allows an excellent view of the branches and how they attach to the trunk of the tree. In fruit trees, the angle that the branch attaches to the tree is especially important. Ninety-degree angles are much stronger than narrower ones – work to keep the branches that attached to the trunk at wider angles.

The tree should also be thinned to allow light to penetrate the interior of the tree. Look for branches that touch or rub together and remove one. If several branches are close together, remove one or more to give the others some space.

With each cut you make, step back and consider what the tree will look like once the branch is removed. Take care to keep some balance to the tree by leaving a few large branches that have good connecting angles (scaffold branches).

You can also reduce the height of the tree by heading branches back. Cut the end of a long branch back to a point where it branches off. Removing this terminal end will encourage the other branches along this stem to grow. Heading cuts should always be made after the rest of the structural pruning is done to avoid removing too much wood from the tree.

For pictures and more information, the K-State publication “Pruning Fruit Trees” is available online at www.douglas.ksu.edu. You can also stop by the Douglas County Extension Office at 2110 Harper St., or call 843-7058 to request a copy.

For the best results with your fruit tree, make a plan to prune every February. Yearly maintenance will save you time in future years and help to ensure a bountiful harvest year after year – barring another late frost!