Should You Trim Fruit Trees In The Fall Or Wait Until Spring? Here's The Best Time

Getting the timing wrong is one of the most common mistakes everyone makes when growing fruit trees. Some rush to plant and end up doing it at the wrong time. Others fertilize or water when it does more harm than good, and plenty prune either too soon or way too late. In each case, it is the fruit tree that has to pay the price. So, when is the best time to prune your fruit trees? 

Ask most experts, and they will tell you that late winter to early spring is usually the best time to prune your fruit trees. During this time, the trees are dormant, and pruning will cause minimum harm to the plant, allowing wounds to heal quickly. Another benefit of pruning during the dormant season is that it helps to keep a lot of airborne pathogens at bay. These pathogens thrive in warm and wet air. Therefore, pruning when the air is colder and drier allows the trees to close their wounds before these pathogens swarm the air and find a way in. 

If you miss this window, you can also prune your fruit trees during summer, however, this is usually done for fast-growing fruit trees to help create a balance between tree growth and fruit production. Also, pruning too heavily during this time can actually weaken the tree. That said, it is still important to remember that every fruit tree has different needs. Depending on the species, there might be exceptions, and there is no one-size-fits-all pruning calendar for fruit trees.

Pruning at the wrong time can interfere with a fruit tree's natural processes. Take fall pruning, for instance. If you prune too early in the fall, you can reduce the tree's cold hardiness. In addition, pruning interrupts the process of moving nutrients from leaves back to the trunk and roots. Combined, these factors will make it harder for the fruit tree to survive through a harsh winter. 

One perk of pruning during dormancy is that fruit trees have shed their leaves, which makes it easier to spot branching angles and crowded leaders. You can selectively prune these as narrow limbs and upright branches often break away from the trunk when loaded with fruit. As for pruning fruit trees in spring, it should be done early in the season. This will allow you to remove any dead or damaged branches, which will thin the canopy and let more sunlight in. Doing so is especially helpful for fruit spurs as they require good light exposure in order to develop and bear fruit. 

Prune too late, especially in the summer, and it can lead to sunburn, significantly impacting the number and size of your fruits. This is why it's best to try to prune either in late winter or early spring. Prune selectively and choose the right branches, and your fruit trees will bring a bountiful harvest to your yard.