Winter Pruning for Apples and Pears – Orlaith Murphy

Winter pruning is essential to keep apple and pear trees healthy, productive, and in check. For those new to fruit tree care, this guide simplifies winter pruning essentials to help you shape a balanced, open-centered tree that will flourish come spring.

Top Winter Pruning Tips
Prune between November and March when trees are dormant.
Aim for an open, goblet-shaped crown to improve light and airflow.
Only remove about 10-20% of the canopy to avoid excess regrowth.
Tackle vigorous growth in summer to manage oversized trees.

Why Prune in Winter?
Winter pruning for apples and pears helps control size, improve air circulation, and boost fruit quality. An open-centered crown lets light penetrate the tree and encourages a healthy harvest by reducing pests and disease risk.

Before You Start
Choose a dry, mild winter day, and gather your tools:

Secateurs, loppers, and a pruning saw for cuts of different sizes.
A sturdy ladder, ideally a tripod type, for stability.
Gloves and eye protection – pruning can be scratchy work!

Step-By-Step: Winter Pruning Basics
Remove Dead, Damaged, or Diseased Wood
Start by cutting out any dead, damaged, or unhealthy branches. This is essential for maintaining the tree’s overall health.

Eliminate Crossing Branches
Look for branches that rub or cross, which can create wounds. Keep the healthier, outward-facing branches and remove the weaker ones to promote an open, goblet shape.

Prune Strong Vertical Growth
Cut back overly strong vertical shoots that grow towards the tree’s center to keep the canopy open. Leave shorter, weaker shoots (up to 20 cm long) as they won’t block light.

Shorten Last Year’s Growth
On each main branch, trim last year’s growth by about a quarter to a third, cutting above an outward-facing bud. This stimulates side shoots, where next year’s fruit will develop.

Mind the Fruiting Habits
Apple and pear trees produce fruit in different ways (on spurs, tips, or a combination). While modern pruning methods are relaxed, it’s wise to know your tree’s fruiting style:

Spur-bearers: Thin out old fruiting spurs (short, stubby shoots) to keep about 10-15 cm apart.
Tip-bearers and partial tip-bearers: Prune with caution to avoid cutting off fruiting wood. Trim longer branches by a quarter to reduce length but maintain fruiting potential.

Reduce Large, Mature Trees as Needed
For large or vigorous trees, shorten main branches by up to a third. Prune to a strong side-branch growing outwards to keep the tree open and manageable.

Overgrown or Extra-Vigorous Trees?
If your tree grows too vigorously despite regular winter pruning, add a summer pruning session. Summer pruning helps to reduce growth energy:

Cut back side-shoots longer than 30 cm, trimming them to 15 cm.
Focus on the most vigorous shoots, leaving less active growth unpruned.

Pruning Problems and Solutions
Apple Canker: Remove any canker-affected branches during pruning.
Lichen and Moss: Generally harmless, but heavy growth on young shoots might indicate poor vigor.
Biennial Bearing: Some trees produce uneven harvests, with large yields one year and sparse fruit the next. Pruning consistently each year can help reduce this effect.

With these straightforward steps, winter pruning doesn’t have to be daunting. You’ll enjoy the reward of healthier, more productive apple and pear trees that bring fruit (and beauty!) to your garden each year.

Happy pruning

Orlaith