Overview
- Apple, pear and quince benefit from cutting in February, while cherry, plum and peach are pruned after harvest or in summer due to better wound healing in warm weather.
- Aim for an open, airy crown with three to four scaffold branches, remove inward-growing or crossing limbs and vertical watershoots, and make clean, slightly slanted cuts without leaving stubs.
- Work on frost-free, dry days around 0–5°C, as very cold or wet conditions damage wood and slow healing.
- Use sharp, clean tools matched to branch size—hand pruners for thin twigs, loppers or a saw for thicker wood—and consider wound sealant for larger cuts.
- Support tree health by keeping a mulched, grass-free ring away from the trunk, applying whitewash to trunks to prevent frost cracks, and reusing cut wood via composting, habitat piles or firewood.