If you have fruit trees but haven't had much success with them, you may be just
a few steps away from the most rewarding season yet.
It's time to get outside on a Sunday morning armed with
a couple of good tools and a good strong cup of coffee.
Pruning is often avoided because of the labor commitment and the intimidation of making the wrong cut, but it's a key component of boosting your personal fruit factory's production.
A good pair of bypass pruners can usually do the trick for younger trees as long as you're pruning limbs that are an inch in diameter or less.
Look to remove limbs that are crossing other limbs that can cause friction and damage to the branches you want to keep.
Make sure not to remove more than 25% of the branches in one pruning season.
Once you've successfully pruned your trees, you'll want to spray them with a Horticultural Oil to kill any overwintering insects or their eggs.
It's best to use a tank sprayer to get the best coverage. Mix the oil into the sprayer according to the directions and coat the limbs, trunk, base and surrounding ground of the tree.
If you're worried about fungus you can do the same thing with a liquid Fungicide.
Taking these precautionary steps during the dormant season is a small price to pay for the extra fruit that you're bound to see come spring and summer.
Don't miss out on our Free Star Seminar of Fruit Tree Pruning and Care this Saturday at 10am and 2pm at All Star Nursery Locations
Also, see our Star Note on Fruit Tree Selection, Planting and Care.
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