| The best time of year to prune is in February once the danger of frost has passed but before any fruit has begun blooming. First, cut off any dead or damaged branches. Avoid snapping them off with your fingers as this could result in damage to the good branches. Next remove the suckers growing off of the roots. The next step consists of pruning shoots, which are the new, red branches. Remove any branches growing towards the center of so that the peach tree retains its open center. Also remove any small, thin shoots as these will not be able to produce healthy fruit. Avoid removing branches that are 18 to 24 inches in length. Prune any downward hanging branches or shoots growing horizontally. Ideally, shoots should grow at a 45 to 50 degree angle. The last step of pruning actually occurs after the tree has bloomed and the buds have been established. Pruning some of the buds will produce larger, healthier peaches. Plus, an overabundance of fruit could break the delicate peach branches. Make sure that fruit grows only about 6 inches apart by pinching off the extra buds. |
