Summer 2023

Why prune fruit trees in the summer?

Summer pruning of fruit trees is desirable for several reasons: 

Improves fruit yield - It induces rapid formation of fruiting buds and spurs below the cuts.

Allows more sunlight into the remaining leaves. (Spurs are short, stubby branches – often no longer than two inches – on which some fruit trees grow their fruit.)

Reduces reactive growth - By reducing the amount of sugar available for storage during the dormant season, the plant grows a little more slowly in the spring and often without the profusion of new shoots that can crowd a plant or produce “witches’ broom.”

Helps keep trees smaller - Summer pruning controls the growth rate of a plant, which can be of significant value to gardeners who want to keep their plants looking more aesthetically pleasing throughout the year and want to keep their plants at modest heights.

PRUNING TIPS for specific fruit trees

Below are pruning tips and advice for fruit trees and plants commonly grown in Marin. Click to learn more!

• Apple
• Apricot
• Cherry
• Fig (Black – e.g., Mission)
• Fig (White and Brown – e.g., Kadota, Thompson)
• Lemon
• Peach
• Pear
• Persimmon
• Plum
• Pomegranate