WHEN SHOULD FRUIT AND NUT TREES BE PRUNED?

Growers of tree and woody plant fruits and nuts should prune their plants while they are dormant. Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring...after the danger of heavy freezes. For our area, this is usually late February to early March. Pruning while plants are dormant is less likely to initiate growth flushes that make the trees susceptible to freeze damage. However, some summer pruning is recommended on crops such as apples and peaches, but only to remove dead, diseased limbs and water sprouts. No heading back type pruning should be done in the summer.

Proper pruning is beneficial to fruit and nut trees in the following ways:

1. ) Controls overall tree size (easier harvesting).
2. ) Allows for a heavier fruit load by strengthening branches.
3. ) Promotes new growth and vigor.
4. ) Allows for better spray penetration.
5. ) Decreases incidence of certain diseases by allowing fruit and foliage to dry more quickly.
6. ) Allows for better light penetration which increases fruit set in the center of the tree and promotes better fruit color.

Although there are specific guidelines for training and pruning individual species of fruit trees here are a few rules of thumb that apply to all:

1. ) Remove all dead, diseased, and decaying wood.
2. ) Remove all water sprouts. (Water sprouts are the highly vigorous shoots that grow straight up and compete with the main leader of the tree.)
3. ) Remove all shoots below the graft union.
4. ) Heading back cuts should be no more than 1/3 of the length of the branch being cut.
5. ) When removing entire limbs or water sprouts, be careful not to injure the main trunk or limb because these wounds heal slowly. (It is better to leave a short stub than to risk cutting into the main trunk or limb.)
6. ) Use sharp pruning tools.
7. ) On diseased trees, disinfect your pruners with a 10% bleach solution between each cut, especially before moving to the next tree to prevent spread of disease organisms.
8. ) Painting wounds is not recommended.

Annual pruning and training is important during the entire life of a fruit or nut tree, but it is most critical during the first three years. If training is neglected during these years, hard pruning will be required to bring the situation under control and this puts stress on the tree. For more details on how to train and prune specific crops, contact me at our office.

GROWING EARLY VEGETABLES

Growing early vegetable is desirable in two ways: 1) you may have vegetables on the market at a time when others don't, and 2) you can extend your growing season. There is some risk involved in growing an early crop, so devote a small portion of your crop to early production. The possibility of losing a crop to frost or freeze is very high, so plant only what you can afford to lose. Here are a few techniques that you can use to get an early crop:

1. ) Grow vegetables on raised beds. This warms the soil quickly, allowing for early seed germination and plant development.
2. ) Choose your lightest, sandiest soils for early production. These soils warm up quicker than heavy soils.
3. ) Plow fields in the Fall. If you have trouble getting into the fields in the Spring due to wetness, this practice can help you get an early start. You can also make your beds at this time.
4. ) Plant rye strips between rows - every six to twenty feet. These strips block wind and also protect vegetables from sandblasting. Later on, these strips can be mowed and used as truck and spray rows.
5. ) Use early vegetable varieties.
6. ) Use plastic mulch.
7. ) Make multiple plantings.
8. ) Start transplants two to three weeks early and direct seeded crops two weeks early.
9. ) Use hot caps.
10. ) Use overhead irrigation for frost protection.

Use one or more of these techniques in combination to help get an early harvest. There are more than what I have listed. For more details, contact me and I will send you Publication AG-133 (How to Grow Early Vegetables). Remember to try this on a small scale and good luck on getting an early crop.

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