Fruit tree pruning this season.

[BeesandTrees]

I have a handful of fruit trees to finish up this season. Apple, crabs, peach, apricot and what have you. Lately been quite warm here and buds starting to push on apsens, cottonwoods and maples. Some small growth on fruit trees here, I am going to look at a couple today and see what's going on. I want to get the work done to keep customers happy but don't want to harm trees. Where do I draw the line, what do I look for to make that decision? Last spring very wet here and fireblight rampant in the fruit trees that made it through the winter. I am looking to finish in the next two weeks. Thank you.

 

[mrtree]

Pruning is fine now, get it done. Think about spraying with double nickel spray or perhaps agrimycin.

 

[JontreeHI]

We have an orchard it's working with us now, and she strongly urges towards summer pruning. Less vigorous suckering than winter pruning, serves to thin the fruit for a better quality crop, (less for work the pruner!). So with that in mind, prune away.
I would be interested to hear other opinions on this as well

 

[evo]

Prune when the tools are sharp. The only rules I religiously follow is not to prune when the buds break to until the first flush of leaves are fully expanded. I do shoot for mid summer, and that's what I aim for in my trees.
Year before last I had 10 gallons of hard cider, and about 25 lbs of apple for pies/eating. This was off of two trees ~ 8-10" dbh. With mid summer pruning and thinning the apples had to be quartered to fit into the cider press grinder.

 

[mrtree]

If you are trying to produce fruit then it is normal to prune twice per year in traditional systems; once in winter to thin wood and leaves so that fruit producing wood is maximized, and once in summer to thin suckers and fruit.