You're (Probably) Killing Your Fruit Trees

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Check out our video where we followup on our fruit trees for winter pruning HERE! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnXWg6J5o8ZmrLM

[@klodomir]

Thank you for showing your mistakes, @AnneofAllTrades. I learned a lot from this.

[@jans17bus]

@anneofalltrades its been a year after the trimming of these trees, how are they looking? Tnx for sharing!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

@@jans17bus see for yourself in this video! Lazy Gardening Has Paid Off! | FULL Spring Garden Tour 2024! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGnLnJulbbh3eNk

[@jerrab1110]

question, I've seen videos of I guess cloning or getting a Root ball going before cutting limbs- would that have been possible for these trees? so that each cut piece could have been planted and grown out into a tree itself? I'm just getting into fruit trees on our property and I know these cuts were very necessary but just wondering if rooting them would have been possible? thanks for a great video, you were both very informative

[@AnneofAllTrades]

@@jerrab1110 it wouldn’t have been a good idea for these trees, and most of the other fruit trees most folks get from nurseries, no, because most popularly sold varieties of fruit tree are grafted onto some other kind of rootstock to make them more hardy/manageable, and cloning the branches will mean you have very little control over what kind/shape/vigor of tree you actually get. Not to mention that cloned varieties of any plant will double your susceptibility and loss to pests and diseases that target/thrive on that specific variety.

[@benjamingrady9113]

Anne, I'm impressed by how well you took instructive criticism from Dan. You were very mature and graceful about it.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

What is life if not an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and do better in the future?

[@theanadevine]

I PRUNED MY FRUIT TREE FOR THE FIRST TIME USING THIS VIDEO AS GUIDANCE TWO MONTHS AGO, AND IT’S NOW COVERED WITH FRUIT!!!! I CAN’T TAKE OFF ALL CAPS BECAUSE I AM TOO EXCITED AND GRATEFUL. THANK YOU!

[@theanadevine]

Seriously, this little tree had been through it since we planted it back in 2021. I felt guilty and hopeless and scared with all the mistakes I’d made, and finally got to the place where I could redirect that energy into humility, research, and measured action. I’m so grateful to these gifted and generous individuals for creating and posting this video for the world.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

That makes me so dang happy to hear

[@AnneofAllTrades]

The peach tree featured in our two pruning videos so far is now similarly covered with fruit blossoms

[@ronb6182]

Got to love those loud messages. Thanks 73

[@altheamcnabb2829]

Whoever said CAPS was yelling is a BUTTHOLE! Caps, just makes things stand out, that you WANT to stand out.

[@P2Zip]

My x-husband was a professional apple tree pruner. He was responsible for 25,000 trees, his part of the orchard, and every year all he did was prune trees from Beginning of Dec into Jan. He started when they were very little trees so he knew all these trees. He taught me you need balance on the trunk. Example every north branch needs a south branch and the same with east and west. He could walk up to a tree and tell you exactly what needed to be pruned. He also told me if you have tons of blooms to spray some of the blooms off as to many blooms results in smaller less nutritious fruit. The apples were delicious. I was with him when he went a picked an apple down for me and I kid you not, it was 13 inches around. I made him measure it. I passed the bloom issue onto my neighbor who bought a house with a very established pear tree and he sprayed some of the blooms off like I told him and he told me that year he had nice large beautiful pears that tasted better than any he had ever had. Now he does it every year. Everyone wants his pears. This video expands on more of the logistics on where and why you prune. Excellent video.

[@evelgreytarot8401]

How do you "spray them off"? Some kind of herbicide, or just knock them off with water spray?

[@christinerizzo8789]

What does 'spray' some of the blooms off mean?

[@dimatadore]

Ah, I'd never guess to remove blooms because of how un-instinctive it is to have less of what you're after. A lesson in greed! Accept to have less to reap better rewards. Thanks for this comment!

[@kimberlyscott864]

Great info! Thanks

[@Vincerama]

@@evelgreytarot8401 Blast them off with water.

[@101perspective]

I loved the fact that the trees hadn't been pruned properly in the past. Most people, like myself, who are watching a video like this probably aren't experts at pruning trees and have made the same mistake. Thus, this video helps a ton more than telling us how to prune a tree that has already been pruned properly in the past. At least it has helped me a bit.

[@cedricnora4481]

Absolutely, helped more having examples that we’re likely to see

[@blaccsilverstaff5484]

So what happens when you don’t prune nothing ever?

[@101perspective]

@@blaccsilverstaff5484 I'm no expert but my understanding is that overall you will end up with too many branches; overlapping branches; and branches growing the wrong direction. Overall this results in smaller apples and even possibly no apples at all. This is because you are limiting how much energy the tree gets while at the same time making it use more energy to grow all those extra branches. I think you can run into other issues also like downward pointing branches snapping more easily. However, I think the above energy use issues are the main things.

[@adenekanrichard]

Wonderful but is it necessary to prune coconut trees? I have coconut trees are not fruiting for 4 to 5 years now.

[@Ohelojam]

My fruit trees have grown without pruning. Do the benefits outweigh the risks to prune mature trees. If so, how?😢

[@listenloud]

This is hands down the best exploration in fruit tree establishment I’ve seen. It took me 10 years in the orchard to learn and believe these lessons. I took lots of before and after pictures of trees and individual major decisions for about 5+ seasons. The trees taught me so much. I was only managing 60 or so trees, but when I took over the orchard the trees hadn’t been pruned for a decade.

[@tagladyify]

Oops wrong thread. Sorry

[@danarzechula3769]

Wow a lot can happen in a decade

[@hollybromley47]

I am an Arborist of 25 years who never climbs or prunes large trees. I specialize in consulting as well as structural pruning of young trees and pruning fruit trees... and teaching homeowners how to care for their trees. Daniel did an excellent job explaining subordinating too vigorous of side branches and why trees should be pruned CORRECTLY when they are young. I caution people all the time to never prune more than 20% out of a tree canopy, although the exceptions are that peach/nectarine can tolerate up to 30% quite well (while cherry trees need a more conservative approach) and young trees can certainly tolerate more aggressive pruning to help establish a good structure. Once trees become more mature, over pruning becomes harmful and will result in unwanted, rampant new growth. It is a fabulous idea to have an experienced arborist look at your new trees and teach you proper pruning methods and the "whys" behind good pruning practices. I've seen some pretty wretched tree pruning advice passed off on KZbin from so-called "experts" and am thrilled that this video offers good, sound advice. Trust me, the cost of a consultation with an experienced ISA Certified Arborist can save you a LOT of money over the long run.

[@daniellecryderman2954]

I had an expert in to prune my pear tree but he took way too much off and now it's just vigorously shooting and has 5 blossoms when it previously fruited beautifully. How do I correct overpruning? There are so many vertical shoots it's like you have to overprune it to prune it - like a vicious cycle. Poor stressed tree - I don't know what to do! 🍐

[@joythompson6005]

Appreciate ; cheers

[@devswell6538]

That’s an incredibly niche job

[@hollybromley47]

@@devswell6538 It certainly is, but I love what I do.

[@hollybromley47]

@@daniellecryderman2954 ​ I'm sorry that I didn't see this before. Unfortunately, there are all too many self-proclaimed "experts" who don't have the training or credentials to go with their delusions of grandeur! Hopefully, I can give you a bit of insight into the process. Rehabilitating over-pruned trees definitely takes patience as the process requires at least 3-4 years or more to accomplish. I've rehabilitated many "butchered" trees over the years when clients were willing to have me return yearly to work through the steps. You are correct that the stress of severe pruning results in a LOT of new vertical shoots. To rehabilitate the tree, you need to restrain yourself from pruning out all of the ugly new shoots and choose to only prune out 20-25% of all of the rampant new growth. You must be selective and only remove one out of every 4 or 5 of the new shoots the first year. This ensures that you're not signaling the tree to regrow them. All new growth will then go into maturing the remaining suckers/shoots. It will feel like you're not doing enough, thus the patience required to do it. The following year, again, remove only one of every four remaining shoots. But start to keep an eye on placement and spacing as well as how well the new shoots are attached (new shoots growing right at the edge of a previous cut or that grow from below the branch and circle around to the top aren't strongly attached.) You're going to start planning out what shoots are going to create the new scaffolding branches. Start imagining the spacing and positioning of the branches as they mature. You'll start preserving those over the next couple of years as you continue to only prune out 20-25% percent of the tree's volume annually. As the remaining branches mature, you can make a few heading cuts to encourage good lateral growth out away from the center of the tree when needed. If you start seeing a lot of new sucker growth after your spring pruning, it indicates that you were too heavy handed, so again, be patient. A couple of new suckers is no big deal though... the tree is stressed, after all. Just patiently keep removing a small amount of the rampant growth that you got from when the tree was harshly pruned. Also, make sure you understand how to make proper pruning cuts so that you don't add wounds that can't seal over properly. You'll start to see a good shape with maturing wood emerge over a few years. I've rehabilitated some trees that I've continued to prune over a decade or more and eventually you can't even tell that they were over-pruned. Patience has its rewards in the long term for sure.

[@DamBevers]

Great video. To sum it up: 1. Location, location, location. 2. Size matters. 3. Spread the love (sunshine). 4. Learn about pruning early on. Our house has three old apple trees in the yard. They are at least 90 years old since I found aerial protons from 1934 and they were someone’s small orchard. They are now pruned like bonsais, covered with moss, majestic to look at, and bare lots and lots of fruit, so much that it’s not that good for eating. I learned that pruning for beauty and pruning for fruit yield are different things. As other commenters mentioned, for apples, the best fruit comes from culling the flowers and/or young fruit to allow the remainder to grow more vigorously and have more flavor. And, less branches is better, also for yield and also for thickening the limbs for holding the fruit.

[@JonnyValente]

I'm a carrob and almond producer from Portugal. Learned a lot of new things in this video. Thank you and enjoy the miracle of nature 🙏

[@knottyneedle]

At 66, I am now in my forever home and wanted to plant a lot of fruit trees on a small space. Having grown up with being around fruit trees my whole life, I didn't want HUGE trees. It has been only in the past few months I have learned about pruning fruit trees to keep them at a manageable height and can plant more, closer together. See, you are never too old to learn something new!

[@man2841]

Forever home it will be with Jesus that ours temporary homes , but yeah , for learning it’s never to late 😊 Have a Bless Day

[@tj21bem]

Read the book “Grow a Little Fruit Tree”. I love it!

[@maheshwarsapkota5420]

I’m 76 years old and I’m still learning how to make a good shaped fruit trees. I’ve five varieties of mango trees, six varieties of banana trees and two varieties of litchi and a few varieties of pomegranate trees, they are keeping me motivated to grow more fruit trees. This video is very informative to learn about how to make fruit trees within manageable conditions, height and shape, thanks for the advice

[@maheshwarsapkota5420]

I’m 76 years old and I’m still learning how to make a good shaped fruit trees. I’ve five varieties of mango trees, six varieties of banana trees and two varieties of litchi and a few varieties of pomegranate trees, they are keeping me motivated to grow more fruit trees. This video is very informative to learn about how to make fruit trees within manageable conditions, height and shape, thanks for the advice

[@venodghorrpade9733]

I am seventy and have started gardening from last year. However I was down with cancer, and today I am in remission and enjoying my time back in the garden.

[@StacyNeal-w4o]

My 15 year old orchard is a mess. I have made ALL of these same mistakes😂. I learned a ton from this video. Thank you both so much.

[@diogocosta3549]

It's very important for trees to be able to deal with wind. In Portugal we often build a little square wooden frame around the main trunk, supported by wooden poles. that way the tree can react to the wind while maintaining the position. If the tree doesn't "learn" how to deal with wind, not only it's possible it'll break, but also air bubbles can form in the xylem causing embolism and shutting down the nutrient flow which can eventually kill the tree. So never restrict your tree's movement to that extent. Great video!

[@joetruth7823]

Young trees need to face winds to establish reactionary roots which grow predominately in the direction the prevailing wind is coming from. Embolisms in the xylem are never caused by the wind. They are only caused by drought and freeze thaw cycles. When there isn’t enough liquid water in the conduits of the tree the lowered pressure can pull air into the conduits from adjacent air filled areas such as intercellular spaces and damaged conduits this causing embolisms. Now you know.

[@diogocosta3549]

@@joetruth7823 Water stress and winter freezing are the biggest causes of embolism, but once tension in the xylem goes over a certain threshold, air is pulled into the lumen where it causes an embolism, and this can happen by physical tension. If you have 4' of hose and you fill it with water almost to the top and you plug both ends you can see air bubbles forming in the water column if you shake it vigorously. This is a phenomenon we see in extremely windy areas here, where wild trees grow almost sideways. Sometimes the wind causes the young tree to bend too much and pinch its xylem so to speak, and that creates an air bubble causing embolism.

[@joetruth7823]

@@diogocosta3549 I appreciate your clarification and now see this is mainly a semantic issue we’re having. Of course extreme physical pressure from very high winds can compress or damage xylem but most often it just increases transpiration to the point of breaking the water column. Either way, this is not the wind causing an embolism by directly pushing air into the vessels which is what I thought you were saying. The water column being broken and this lack of water allows air in causing the embolism. This is covered under the “drought” category. One of the two ways embolisms form…….Here’s a good explanation- “water moving through plants is considered meta-stable because at a certain point the water column breaks when tension becomes excessive - a phenomenon referred to as cavitation. After cavitation occurs, a gas bubble (i.e., embolism) can form and fill the conduit, effectively blocking water movement. Both sub-zero temperatures and drought can cause embolisms. Freezing can induce embolism because air is forced out of solution when liquid water turns to ice. Drought also induces embolism because as plants become drier tension in the water column increases. There is a critical point where the tension exceeds the pressure required to pull air from an empty conduit to a filled conduit across a pit membrane - this aspiration is known as air seeding (Figure 9). An air seed creates a void in the water, and the tension causes the void to expand and break the continuous column. Air seeding thresholds are set by the maximum pore diameter found in the pit membranes of a given conduit.” You might like to read this study from the University of Innsbruck Austria- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4312774/ Their results show “static bending had little affect but dynamic bending caused a 0.4 and 0.8 MPa decrease of the water potential at 50 and 88% loss of conductivity in P. sylvestris, but did not affect vulnerability thresholds in P. abies.” According to this research some trees ability to tolerate dynamic loading varies greatly between species. The Scots Pine lost 88% of conductivity and the Norway Spruce was completely unaffected! Mind blown!

[@onlythetruth883]

​@@diogocosta3549 Thank you.

[@onlythetruth883]

​@@joetruth7823 Thank you.

[@GetFitEatRight]

I'm not a huge fan of the whole central leader. I go for an open center and push for horizontal growth. I like to actually be able to pick my fruit. 8ft tall trees.

[@Misterdandamanify]

Apple: open. Pear: central leader?

[@tinkertailorgardenermagpie]

@@Misterdandamanify might actually be the other way around?

[@Misterdandamanify]

@@tinkertailorgardenermagpie hmm could be. Sometimes the other way around is nice too. ;-)

[@mikebrewer2454]

@livestrong2109 I live in Oklahoma. I can’t ever get a straight/good answer about when is the best time of year to cut the dead outta any kind of tree ? Do ya have any advice ? Thank Ya Much in advance !!

[@GreenPiece]

the season doesn't matter , but be careful and dont hurt the bark of a green part of trees....so i would do any kind of pruning after midsummer but befor leaves are getting yellow (or red or brown😅) sometimes spring could be tricky just because the bark is very wounerable but if you have some big deadwood (more than 6 or 10 cm its better to leave about a 50-30cm so that the main trunk is not open for diseases

[@sparkywatts3072]

Growing up we had a small peach orchard in the back yard. Every year after the last frost my dad would viciously thin the newly forming fruit. Come harvest a peach had to be cut in pieces to fit in a wide mouth mason jar. They were that big and delicious.

[@Ckawauchi35]

I wish I had known of this vital information from 5 years ago when I first planted a whole bunch of trees that line my fence now. This video is the answer to my nagging questions about the growth and behavior of my trees. I will do my own heart-breaking pruning this Spring to give more support to the "precious" one and I'm so glad I could finally get rid of all the stakes I needed to support the branches of my trees that were not supposed to be. Thank you for creating this video!

[@tristionedison5485]

I live in the middle of Houston. I have no yard. I don't even have property, yet... I watched the entire video and now know a bit more about caring for fruit bearing trees. Thank you both.

[@parkburrets4054]

Maybe ask a friend if you can plant a tree in his yard and you get your share of the fruit.

[@InkJuse]

​@@parkburrets4054a great thought, but even my friends don't own property.

[@michaelszczys8316]

I know it's not exactly a fruit tree but, we had a Ginkgo tree in our yard when I was a kid and the trunk was a double. My dad cut one of the two clean off and after about 10 years you would never know it was double trunk , it became totally symmetrical single trunk tree. Now like 50 years later it is huge and one of the best shaped large ginkgo trees I have ever seen.

[@reavanante2160]

It probably has a larger root system. Reflecting the original twin trunk.

[@michaelszczys8316]

@@reavanante2160 I had a friend liked the cool tree in my yard and when he had a house planted one in his yard. When it was about 5 years old some kids tore the bark off of about 3/4 of the way around the trunk. The tree survived, but barely grew. Then after about 10 years of barely changing in size, it sent out a second shoot which surpassed the original in a few years and now it is a big tree with the original trunk looking like a low branch.

[@MyKharli]

Voles ring bark mine and they die so i have given up , atm they stripping the bark from some apple trees but especially the fig .

[@P2Zip]

@peter lewis Have you considered mouse traps near their holes? Also another natural way is to mix cornmeal with baking soda in a small plastic box with a hole in the side so they go in and feed but kills them as they digest the food they ate without damaging chemicals to your land. It's a cheap thing to try and might help the situation. Who knows you might get rid of them. Try one or two around your fig tree. At this point what have you got to lose other than more of your trees.

[@Svensk7119]

​@@michaelszczys8316 I remember when a trash fire killed one of the pine trees. It circled the trunk and gradually the top died. However, the base survived, and after several it grew a new trunk right up the center.

[@klubstompers]

In windy areas, an open canopy does a lot better. It doesn't have the main tall branch that catches the wind, the tree is no so top heavy, and wind can move through it with much less resistance. Easier to pick fruit, with branches being lower. It also opens up the center to give all branches more and equal sun, and thus more fruit with less chance of disease, and has symmetrical growth. The shade it casts is also greatly diminished, so your garden is not as effected. Open canopy for a fruit tree is a win, win.

[@benc8155]

I commented before read this totally agree!

[@jeffmosier3145]

All my fruit trees have open centers...always

[@lesiiger3896]

You're absolutely right. Especially true for stone fruit trees.

[@yaima0901]

I live in a windy zone thanks for this info!

[@logistiekoperator4552]

Thanks for the good advice, ill keep it in mind.!

[@ihopeugrow]

I just bought and planted my first cherry, fuji, persimmon and nectarine trees. I was so interested but overwhelmed by the amount of technical terms from this tree professional. I appreciate you trying Anne(when u asked him to explain like you’re 5).

[@shariatiehsan]

There are some important differences between cherry, persimmon and plum though. They should be pruned differently. Plum gives fruit on the second year's branches. Use the 123 method. Persimmon gives fruits on this year's beaches that grow from the tip of last year's branch. So if u prune a branch you will not get any fruit for 2 years on that branch. Cherry gives fruit on the base of the laterals. Dont remove the laterals from the base. Also how do u want to manage the shadow of the trees to maximise your garden space? 2D spalje might be a good solution to grow veggies under the tree etc. Maybe u want your fruits higher up if you have a small garden looking for using the vertical space? So choose the pruning technique depending on: - The end layout of your garden. - the fruiting and growing habits of the tree - the quantity vs quality considerations. If not producing for market go for quantity.

[@gunrelatedvids]

Good luck!

[@philly4yaa]

i wish you luck with your persimmon. I'm removing mine after finding I detest the taste.. haha. enjoy the others!

[@rickwilson478]

​@@philly4yaa a friend of mine pickles my persimmons for me each year in exchange for her share of the harvest ( at least 400 fruits from the one established tree) . I was never all that excited about the ripe persimmons, but the pickled persimmons are really tasty ... maybe you should try pickling them if you haven't cut down the tree yet.

[@philly4yaa]

@@rickwilson478 I'll have to look into that. Thanks!

[@jonas3333]

Either Dan needs to start his own YT channel or he needs to have an arbor segment on a regular basis on your channel Excellent knowledge and delivery!

[@hmzvm1]

P

[@prof.cecilycogsworth3204]

Why not both? Please!

[@nannajaysadventures]

I agree...no one else has taught me as well

[@AnneofAllTrades]

www.youtube.com/@BeYourOwnArborist :)

[@somnyad]

Thank you, ​@@AnneofAllTrades !

[@kaylenevictorio8211]

My sons (10 & 6) and I have watched your fruit tree series videos twice now. They are so informative. Its like taking a master class. Thank you so much for sharing this information. We recently moved and have a variety of fruit trees that are now in our care and want to be good stewards of the land. We are grateful for your content!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Well this makes my heart so happy. That, right there is why I make these videos ❤️❤️ thanks for making my day, and for the encouraging reminder to keep at it.

[@2L82Sk8Bye]

This explains so much. I have always been confused about pruning. Everything he explained the “why” of now makes sense. Excellent!

[@johnford7847]

Wish I'd seen this two years ago. My 5 y.o. persimmon is like your big peach tree, but more so. Valuable video, Anne. There's a lot of videos about "open up the tree, let the light in," but this is the best I've seen that actually addresses the different stages of fruit tree growth. Thank you very much.

[@SleepFaster18]

I was getting a mixed message with that one. Is it so important to have a central lead at this point in growth if you don't want it to get any taller for harvest safety reasons?

[@hazelhazelton1346]

@@SleepFaster18 You can't establish one later, and central leads are more balanced. They transfer loads directly through the trunk to the ground, whereas a tree without a central lead is more likely to split once it gets some load on it.

[@abeal49]

I have a problem with animals and have tried everything: 6' chain link fences, soap, commercial deer and rabbit repellent, a dog and 14 cats, and yet something stripped the bark off a lot of my fruit trees, rose bushes, and hazelnut trees. I think its deer given the height but they can't get through the fence. So I don't even know what is doing it

[@joshoxborrow2314]

@@abeal49 Get a trail camera for it

[@julietawse6024]

I'd go with the deer as the culprit. They could jump your high fence when motivated. An orchard seems like a great motivation! So much temptation in a relatively small area, so less energy roaming & seeking food! Christmas! They can be astoundingly destructive to the ground too when there's something tasty in there.

[@mrspogadaeus]

I leave my tags on, but I move it to a very small twig. You can eventually make a little wooden or aluminum plaque with the variety and attach it to a stake in the ground. That way it can be left there forever.

[@kart1241]

“Most of what my entire life is, is undoing things that seemed like a good idea at the time.” Amen sister. Amen. 🙌

[@charlesmiller5484]

😂😂😂 came here to say the same thing...because same here 😂😂

[@SkyCloudSilence]

Epic quote.

[@jorty.]

😂 that one hit home yes

[@killa46464]

Amen 😂👍

[@stephroiz]

So glad I watched this video. I bought trees last year. This will help me a lot. Now I understand why the old trees are not doing that great. Hopefully, I can fix them next year. Thank you for sharing!

[@loduke3905]

Anne- I just want to thank you for your part in this, as someone who has ADHD and has struggled with it my entire life, I found it difficult to follow what the arborist was saying (albeit him doing a great job, it's just my brain and the way it processes things) but you pausing it and asking him to further explain and dissecting it so that other's could capture it in a different way, was extremely helpful and valuable. Just so you know, it's highly appreciated it and IT IS ONE OF YOUR MANY STRENGTHS, NOT A WEAKNESS. We all learn at different levels, paces and by different means, having the ability and wherewithal to take something that doesn't make sense and explain it to people so that it does, is a talent. You do that! So thank you from me, my brain and my apple tree 🍎

[@AnneofAllTrades]

That is the greatest compliment I could get. Thank you so much.

[@sartorialsolutions3376]

Agreed. Thought the same thing

[@charliejohnston1978]

Actually the arborist pruned the tree as if it was to become a tall yard tree, and not a low growth fruit tree.

[@smc1942]

I just bought a place, and the trees are a mess. They haven't been pruned in decades! Now I know to limit my cutting, and spread my planned cuts out over several years. Thanks! I also plan to set out a couple new trees this month. Now I know what to look for before I buy! Thanks again!

[@iTzxNooBs]

Green thumb from middle tn here(close to you!)- plant more trees, that way when some get bought/disease/bugs, you don't get your heart broken. Also, plant thickets. Apples and cherries don't do well in middle TN, but plums, peaches and blue berries can thrive if you're on the edge of the Nashville basin. Also- learn to air layer. Some of your clippings could have been transplanted if you had air layered them and then moved them to a pot and winter then in greenhouse/barn, plant next year

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Air layering is awesome, but these are all on dwarf rootstock. (Branches planted from these trees would be full sized) I prefer dwarf trees for a few reasons… but the real reason we didn’t talk about it/show it in this video is that it was already a 32 minute long video and I’m known for my tangents… I’m trying to get better at staying focused on the topic at hand so we can cover it more fully.

[@nmnate]

I typically prune my trees into an open center style, as I prefer my trees to not get so tall that they require a ladder to pick the fruit. There's nothing wrong about using a central leader or modified central leader, if it's appropriate for the tree (it's a good fit for apples and pears). Shorter overall trees can help reduce how much wind they see (which is definitely a contributing factor to how I prune my trees). Also before you start pruning your trees, please sterilize your pruning equipment (especially between trees so you don't inadvertently transfer a disease)! What typically works for me (*open center*) is to plant bare root trees when they're dormant. This is the 'low stress' time of year. It's cheaper and easier than buying a potted tree. Since the bare root trees are dormant, you can immediately top the main trunk at a height at which you want the scaffold branches to start. This also helps remove all of the branches that grew very vertically when the tree was planted very close to all the other trees in the farm. For topping the trees, somewhere between knee height and waist height works for my trees. In the first year, you'll want to let your tree grow out without much pruning during the season. As the new branches start to get some size on them, I'd highly recommend training the ones that are at the best angles (compass directions) that are spaced well vertically on the main trunk. Make sure balance between north / south scaffolds, to prevent a lop sided tree. Selecting branches that have good crotch angles with the main trunk is key for strong branches. I prefer branches that are between 45 degrees and 60 degrees from the vertical 'up' (with more horizontal corresponding to crotches that will develop way more strongly). More upright branches will be more vigorous, but as they lean over, they will become more stressed by the fruit load (it's a moment arm thing). At then end of the first season, you should have several well spaced scaffold branches that have lignified (hardened) well, and you can tip them near the end of winter. I like lengths that correspond to maybe 1/3 or 1/4 of the trees radius (when it is full size). During the winter, clean up the growth near the crotches, remove all the branches that you don't plan on keeping (but leave spurs!). I'd probably white-wash the trunks so they will take less winter damage. When you tip the scaffold branches pay very close attention to the direction of the buds, as this will dictate where the new growth will occur. You can plan your next seasons growth pretty easily just by looking at how the buds are pointing. Usually you'll get the first, second and maybe third buds from this tipping cut to grow as new branches. These tipping cuts should probably also be about the same height off the ground so that the vigor is balanced between them. Branches that are wildly different in height will grow and very different rates (with taller being more vigorous). In the second year, you probably should still be focusing on getting the next sets of branches from the scaffold tipping cuts at healthy angles (maybe with training if they need it) while managing vigor throughout the season. Remove those water sprouts, look for disease or pest issues. If the tree is growing really well (vigorous, healthy), you might consider a summer pruning (tipping, again). This has to be done at an appropriate time. If your area has fungal or pest issues, you probably don't want to be cutting into your trees at a time when the disease pressure is the highest. Summer pruning is also quite a bit different in how the tree responds. Instead of pushing more vigor like you would get out of a hard prune in the winter, your tree will slow down a bit and put more energy into developing more lateral branches (and, often, fruiting spurs!). I tip my branches at maybe half of their growth for the season (lengthwise, personal preference for me... could also do long or short thirds). You'll want to do this pruning at a point in time where the tree still has enough growing season to develop those side laterals well enough (little tiny branches may not make it through winter). Third year, onward, you're typically in good shape with the structure of the tree. Summer pruning will help you develop fruiting wood, while keeping the tree from getting out of hand vertically. You can use these summer 'haircuts' to balance vigor between branches that get more or less shade. Winter pruning will allow you to take a closer look at your trees without all of the foliage and assess and disease issues, plus I like doing my bigger pruning for balancing the structure during the winter months. But again, balance the timing with how your trees heal and when the disease / pest pressure is going to be the worst. I'd probably allow the tree to keep a couple fruit in the third year, but probably not earlier. After this point you just want to balance out the fruit load with where the fruit is on the branch (close to the main trunk is less stressful than tips) with the overall vigor of the tree. There are some basic rules of thumb for roughly how much branch corresponds to enough energy for a fruit. Smaller fruit require less energy than a large apple. I can generally thin my trees pretty quickly as a backyard gardener (only 30 trees or so), usually after they've started to size up a little bit after setting. I'll usually do this a couple weeks after our last frost. Some years, I don't have to thin much due to those spring frosts.... but that can mean a subsequent fruit crop might be excessive. You'll absolutely get better fruit if you're leaving enough energy for the tree to develop it. Too much fruit and they just won't ripen in time, or will be very small and rather bland. I prefer this very micro managed approach early in the trees life to get it quickly to it's final shape with small cuts that heal quickly. Rehabbing an older tree is more stressful, and additional stressors can invite disease and pests. Healthier trees are generally more resilient, so water, feed and mulch them appropriately. Just keep the mulch off the trunk :)

[@carol1derful]

Awesome info! And thank you for the sterilizing tip and what to do each of the first 3 years 🍑🍎

[@themoodyonejb]

Thank you So Very much for this comment. I have several trees I started as seeds and finally put in the ground this year. I printed your comment. You Rock!!!

[@amyspencer9518]

Just planted my first apple and peach trees and I want to be able to revisit this comment!

[@nmnate]

@@amyspencer9518 Enjoy! I'm looking forward to another bare root apple showing up sometime next month. Going to prune / train it open center like the rest of my trees. Apples are one of the types of fruit that handle our late frosts here well so I'm excited to have another one.

[@ronb6182]

Millers nursery sold dormant trees with bare roots. I remember we took a ride up to the finger lakes in NY state. And I saw them bundling trees to ship. All were bare roots. Maybe I should buy some if they are still in business. 73

[@kristinanoall]

It is pure pleasure listening and learning from experts who also are good at explaining things clearly! And seeing all the cute, serene animals around is lovely, too 😊 Great video.

[@grimrevan4660]

By sheer luck I have had all my fruit trees grow tons of fruit within 3 years. The only thing I did on purpose was cultivated rich soil before planting by turning our thick clay into loose soil by making a lot of compost. Most of my piles start at 5-6 ft tall and turn to black gold in 6-8 weeks. I would rake neighbors' yard for almost no money and take their leaves. I was just collecting cheap materials versus buying compost from a retailer for a fortune. Each pile I made would have cost me $300-$500 dollars if purchased.

[@mizlavera]

Can u tell me a little more about your compost method?

[@passionfruitgrenadilla1845]

@grimrevan

[@stevetarrant3898]

One of my 1st jobs out of skool back in the day was at a garden nursery. I learnt a lot, pruning like we are shown here, very important where to cut. Amazing how much a tree can benefit, 12 months later it can look like a totally different tree. Choosing the correct trees and plants for the climate, correct soils and fertiliser, under and over watering, pest management, grafting, so many factors to get right. I now have my own little garden which is a balance of flowering plants, herbs and fruits. Probably more enjoyable is the insects and lizards that cohabitate.

[@redfulla1494]

I love how safety conscious the friend is. he's right. less time on the ladder the best.

[@DavidEdwards9801]

As a painter I can confirm that the less time on a ladder the better :P

[@redfulla1494]

@@DavidEdwards9801 good type of break time, for you.

As a ventriloquist I can confirm that

[@mileakin2689]

Anne I don’t know if you’ll see this but thank you for all this great information you share here, I’m in Alabama not far from Tennessee so much of what you do here will apply to my zone, our approach is a little different but I’m also a lazy gardener that wants to do things on the cheap and with as little effort on my part as possible, I love what you do and appreciate that you share your knowledge with newbies like me, God bless you and thank you,

[@wildbackyardsoaps]

I stumbled across your channel a couple weeks ago because of this video. I've now watched several of your others (including your announcement) and wanted to say thank you for being real and I LOVE your humor. I can relate to so many things you've shared. It is SO much work to homestead, run social media, AND still somehow find time for sleep, family, & fun. You are doing GREAT even when you feel "failures" and have to set some things aside for a bit. God will give you strength for what is important. ❤️

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Thank you for the kind words! So glad you're here! 🙏

[@troyclayton]

6:39 It may be nitpicking, but I've always found it's less likely to create damage to the remaining part of the plant by having the anvil of the secateurs away from the plant. By having the blade facing the plant, remaining cambium tissue is less likely to be damaged by the anvil digging in and bruising the stem. It's better that force is applied to the piece going away. Great video, thanks!

[@tpoad0079]

totally agree actually now you mention it, and in practice even if it doesn't change things much , its still good to practice good S.O.Ps that reduce stress!

[@angelviloria4966]

Love that only 9 minutes in and they both have made LotR references. “One tree limb to rule them all” and 5 mins later “…the lead that will become our Precious”. Lol Also, great fruit tree info.

[@nathanielescudero5379]

Old bicycle inner tubes are the best for tree staking because they allow movement and don't damage the bark. Also 3 stakes in a triangle are best.

[@DianneLSmith-xk7ky]

You are absolutely right about the inner tube material around the trunk to prevent damage to the bark. It allows some movement away from the stake, which is beneficial. You can attach rope or wire to the tubing away from the trunk if you don't have a lot. BUT only one stake, at least 2 feet away from the trunk (to avoid the problem demonstrated in the video), on the side where the prevailing wind comes from, is all that's really necessary. That lets it move enough to encourage it to strengthen the trunk, and root system, while supporting it against the constant pressure from the prevailing wind. It's the constant pressure, even if not nearly as strong as occasional winds from other directions, that will cause the plant, bushes as well as trees, to lean. Over my many decades of gardening, one of the most useful things I have learned is that plants are sensitive to me Earth's magnetic field, and planting them in the same orientation as they grew originally greatly increases the survival and growth rate. In most of the U. S., the prevailing wind comes from the West, and the plants will usually have their strongest roots on that side, which could help you orient them if planting bareroot. I make a point of marking North on any plants I move. I've had very interesting demonstrations of the effect of changing the orientation of plants growing in pots.

[@Bart-Did-it]

No Stakes at all are best

[@desertheavens]

@@DianneLSmith-xk7ky Here in SW Missouri the winds come from all four directions and everywhere in between, sometimes all in the same day. My fruit trees, even staked with three stakes as young trees, still lean and not all in the same direction. They still produce tons of fruit and have not broken even in the 70 mph plus storm winds we have here. Maybe I'm just lucky.

[@davidjames1063]

I run into these issues all the time. People plant fruit trees, then never bother to maintain them, then wonder why the have major issues 10-15 years later. I never encounter young trees like this, always getting older sick or overgrown ones, with Customers expecting miracles from me. Good video guys. Maintain your trees AS THEY GROW !

[@deadmanswife3625]

My apple tree was planted from seed it's about 60 years old it's never been messed with it's loaded with fruit every year I get hundreds of Pies from it

[@josesisyowma5242]

Thank you for the on the job education. I decided to grow a lemon tree & apple tree from seed now their old enough for some Longevity trimming n LST. I had no idea how much these children need I'm ready now 🌱

[@chrisgewirtz5875]

Love the humility on display here - you need to admit you don't know in order to learn better. Great vid.

[@brooksrownd2275]

Very nice to see it explained with examples. I've also been told to sanitize my pruners between trees to avoid spreading diseases between them.

[@RSKLove]

Sanitize with what?

[@brooksrownd2275]

@@RSKLove I think I was told to use alcohol. The main concern was passing virus between citrus trees.

[@gardennonsense]

I've been pruning trees for 3 years. I always need a refresher because I do it only during the beginning of the season. Thank you for Making the video very inspirational

[@coolvibes3663]

As someone who is always wanting to learn more about my fruit trees - that first 12 minutes was gold. Well done and Thank you.

[@deanne.m.sanderson]

I love how humble and teachable Anne is.

[@christineconrad9763]

I have watched probably dozens of fruit tree pruning videos, and for some reason I could never quite groc it or apply it to my trees... maybe I've just reached a saturation point where it's starting to make sense and be applicable, or maybe this is just the best video I've seen on the topic! Thank you!

[@williammaxwell1919]

Actually, buying and planting a "more established tree" does not guarantee a better /bigger tree quicker. Typically, the small tree is when planted, it will outgrow the larger tree due to less "transplant shock" and root damage. Also, you can select for structure and then minimise the future pruning required

[@robbiebowie6505]

Being a quilter I really enjoyed seeing the block on your barn. I also learned a vast amount about pruning trees. Thank you so much.

[@MySustainabilityJourney]

I would be quite keen to understand why he defaulted to central leader with all the trees. That young apple was the perfect candidate for an open centre/vase shape with 3 strong branches right around knee height. That really lovely peach tree was also the perfect open centre and the trees were really nice spaced that could accommodate open centres, so I would love to hear his motivation for trying to find a central leader when the tree was already in very much an open centre structure .Great video BTW and thanks for sharing 🌻

[@SkyCloudSilence]

I honestly don't know, but since no one has answered,... I think I may have read somewhere that specifically apple trees benefit from a central leader structure? Something to do with apples specifically... I could be wrong 🧐

[@MyFocusVaries]

He explains starting at 3:30

[@philipbloomquist1580]

Knee height is a bit low I would suggest shoulder height but that applies to semi dwarf or taller rootstock most fruit trees are grafted on semi dwarf rootstock. Shoulder height for opening up the canopy helps with getting branches above deer browsing also a consideration is reaching the fruit if the branches are to low it is hard to get a ladder under them to reach the taller branches. He had really good points about the apple tree but over time will want to prune that to have an open canopy as well unless it was on an dwarf or very dwarf rootstock as those are short enough a central leader can make more sense. If width is a available on a dwarf or very dwarf apple tree and it is caged or deer are not an issue you could choose to develop and open center at knee height . If the apple was on a semi-dwarf rootstock an open center created over time would be more ideal although it could be an visual choice as an apple tree can be pruned to have a central leader with thinned side branches and still be productive so wanting a central leader on an apple tree has some merits especially if one visually likes a particular shape to their apple tree. The apple tree shown if on a semi dwarf rootstock or taller rootstock still needed more size and structure before it could be developed into an open center canopy and in the next two years a central leader will be best then an open center can be established. He lost the script a bit with the plum and Peach tree. The plum over time should have an open center it was still a bit small to not have a central leader so how he pruned was good for the continue establishment but to indicate that over time she should continue to be only upright is counter to the best fruit production and what would be stable against the wind. The plum he worked on still needed more height before creating an open canopy so still needs a central l leader for another year or two before it can start building an open wide crown. He was right about the staking that was good info. For pruning the peach it just needed strong branches and to be thinned but the lack of a central leader was not an issue. Him suggesting the peach also needed a central leader was where he lost the script but he did end up just pruning the branches down and some thinning which will to create stiffer stems that would be less likely to break under the weight o the fruit. I am surprised they talked about spring pruning but not summer pruning. Summer pruning over time is some of the best things for an established fruit tree such as a large fully grown apple tree needs to be kept shorter and have less waterspouts. He was pruning establishing fruit trees so the lack of mentioning summer pruning might be attributed to that. Central leaders are great with your ornamental trees and trees that will be large some day fruit trees are and exception and over time an open thinned canopy is more desirable for fruit yield and stability of most fruit trees.

[@NinaHansen2008]

Today we planted a peach tree in the back yard of our home, which is a rental. (The landlord is happy with that). I know it’s not the ideal month for this, however, years ago a nursery told me that the best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago. The second best time is today. 😊 This morning I watched your video on planting trees so I think we did a much better job than we would have had I not seen your instructions. Thank you!!!

[@joshuafinch9192]

Great video. Excellent interaction and you can tell Daniel loves trees! "Only" five years and he has such an understanding. Thanks for sharing.

[@leolovehouse6565]

agreed great teacher no nonsense

[@michaelheurkens4538]

If you prune in the fall after the tree goes dormant like I do, I seal the cut limb with warm pine resin or bees' wax. I've been doing this for years without issue to tree nor fruit. Sealing helps to prevent fungal infection and insect problems. Futher, I prune my apples into a "bowl" allowing sun all around to ripen fruit more evenly, but it provides drying of foliage and a balance tree to reduce wind damage(lots of strong wind here). I always leave about 1cm of branch when trimming to allow the side branch free sap flow in spring - drying of the cut stem over winter sometimes affects this. We live in central Alberta and our winters are usually very dry; frequently under 30% relative humidity. Since starting this, I have had no winter kill of the side branch due to excessive drying. Cheers.

[@ceepark114]

I used to find a tar solution at the store to apply to the cut of a limb but can’t find it anymore. I’ve always felt that applying something to the cut would protect it.

[@bowtielife]

That was one of the best fruit tree trimming videos I have seen and I have watched a ton of them! Daniel is quite the treasure!! I would watch him a lot more!!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Good news, this is the first video in a fairly extensive series with Daniel! We are big fans :)

[@bowtielife]

@@AnneofAllTrades I saw that at the end! I am so excited!

[@jul4275]

I have to say, my first year, I planted my apple trees they gave me a bunch of little fruit, granny apples, and apple crisp, then wind took them all granny apple ,(nothing). Apple crisp, only one survived until the deer got to it🙄 so I ended up with nothing. Hope this year I do better. Great video.

[@omarra6781]

What a great, informative video! I bought a property where the previous owner planted 200 trees, shrubs, bushes on 1.5 acres. Some are fruit trees. Many are overgrown right now so I've spent this Spring and Summer trimming, having no real idea what I'm doing, just going off instinct. Happy to say my instinct is very close to what this gentleman says. I've found I REALLY enjoy it, too. Never thought I'd ever say that. LOL My trees are shaping up nicely, pardon the pun.

[@MagnaMater2]

3:40 - I once saw an anciet italian farmer who knotted such trees with equally sized branches into artful twigs, and he claimed, if one knots them, they grow into very stable single stems.

[@rolfs5854]

My grandfather told me, if you need to cut off a lot from a tree, do it in steps. Make a plan on how to reduce the tree. Start in spring when the first leaves are coming out. Cut something every three to four weeks until 6 weeks before the leaves fall. This is a lot of work and you will not harvest a lot, but the tree will not respond in extreme growth next year.

[@AM-fo1jp]

Long handle anvil lopper might be worth a look at, works on branches with diameter up to 2 inches. Quicker and safer than saw

[@nievescarter8579]

Thank you from San Jose, CA (USA). I just followed your instructions and trimmed my Feijoa tree. I lost all my fruits in the process but I am sure it is worth it. Thanks!

[@shapiemau2244]

Love the way you study nature and apply it to your garden. Daniel does the same. Thank you both for sharing this knowledge!

[@CTRLALTMAKE]

Great video! I had no idea what I was doing and my beautiful peach tree split with all the peaches I was so excited about.

[@dustinooley2701]

Best way to learn how to prune is to do it a lot. You should prune according to what you want from your tree. If you are wanting to induce growth, spring pruning is great each year. If you want to inhibit growth, prune in the summer. Your fruit set is going to depend on size of tree, precocity of the fruit variety, and precocity of the rootstock.

[@ElectricianTS]

Shouldn't trees be pruned when they're dormant?

[@dustinooley2701]

@@ElectricianTS think of dormancy as the time when the tree stores most of its energy in the roots. If you cut the top and the net root energy then has less to feed, it will create more rapid growth in the areas you didn't prune. Summer pruning has a stunting effect, which is what you want if you're trying to inhibit growth.

[@johnokamoto6762]

my grandpa and dad were professional gardeners so I helped my dad from when I was 12 and learned a lot from them. since our customers were in urban areas, the fruit trees were also part of the landscape. one thing that you need to do is choose the right place to plant them in the first place! take into account proximity to the house, walkways, driveways and other plants! also, have an idea about how large you want the tree to be and how you want to be able to harvest. are you going to climb into the tree and use a ladder to access the fruit? are you going to want to walk under the branches? can the tree be espaliered against a wall or fence? will it damage the fence and if the fence needs maintenance, can it be accessed once the tree is established? how is the amount of sunlight it get in that area? fruit trees can be incorperated into a landscape and not look like an orchard setting if the forethought is put in from the beginning. the pruning early is so important! I have seen trees that have large branches removed and the wound never healed properly and now the tree is hollow from the rot, which could damage things if the tree falls on the house or other things

[@Tinyteacher1111]

THANK YOU! I learned so much from your comment! My grandfather used to grow peach, apple, and cherry trees. The fruit was so delicious, and we have fond memories of eating the peaches that were huge and the juice dropped down our faces! I want to to establish some of these practices, and I love the idea of the espaliered trees. I’ve seen them before, but I never thought of doing it myself against a wall! Right now, I have two apple trees (one is pretty tiny), a peach and a nectarine tree. Omg! You’ve given me such joy in thinking about this, so I’ll have to start doing my homework!!! Thank you, again! BTW, I’m in MI, and I’m trying to think of what I can plant under my apple tree that’s inside a ring of beautiful soil with berry plants around that area on the side of my house. I always battle fungus there, though, but I’ve had awesome apples (The birds got the rest!). Nylons around my apple s this year, from what I understand. If you see this comment, I thank you so much!! 🍎🍏

[@diannamc367]

@@Tinyteacher1111 look up guilds. There are plants that can be planted to nutrients up from the soil and others that repel pests.

[@Tinyteacher1111]

@@diannamc367 Thank you! I think I did last year, before I broke my shoulder! I’ll try again❣️

[@diannamc367]

@@Tinyteacher1111 oh! I hope it goes much better this year. Good bless!

[@coinfishmedia]

Best newly discovered channel. I recently had my two young apple trees, pear tree, and Triumph Elm tree pruned by my tree guy. Glad I did now that I see there is more to it than meets the eye.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

So glad you’re here!

[@garethcooley1318]

The advice he gave was pretty good. It was simple, and informative without being too confusing. I would show this video to my clients.

[@BethB2010]

Only critique is saying all the trees should be pruned with a central lead. They don't need to be; especially your stone fruits (i.e. peach, plum). Stone fruit are great candidates for an open vase styling. Best example is that peach tree; it has an amazing open vase structure with great angles on it's scaffolding.

[@PlanetEarthLifeSkills]

You are an amazing woman! Today I watched your video about the upper floor that is sloping. This meant so much to me, way over here in a tiny village in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. My home (which I purchased 32 years ago!) was moved to this location in the 1940's. Many many changes, renovations, quick fixes and alterations have happened, beyond and in addition to any stress picking up a 900 sq foot home and moving it would so to a structure. Further, it was placed on a perimeter foundation (read as not a very stable situation!). Today I heard you say that a house will adjust to all of these things, settling into itself each time. Okay, I'm paraphrasing! But now I'm finally okay with "it is what it is", and I'm willing to work with where we are, and only change what is no longer working. Big sigh. I love this old house. I've replaced all of the windows with single hung sash windows which I made. I've removed a structural wall, and opened up the kitchen to the living room, creating a modestly 'great' room. I made all of my kitchen cupboards and doors from recycled and 'found' wood. I planned and stained and installed the 12" board and batten exterior siding, and cedar shingles. All of it has been completed on the side, while raising two boys. But I can't imagine a better more challenging life for my family! The entire house has 9'2" ceilings, and I've installed shelves for my hord of over 1,000 reference books at the 8' level. It's quirkie and old and set in its ways (like me!) - I'm about to turn 62. This old house i's also in the very best place I could think of for my family. I adore our small village of Falkland. My 3 year old granddaughter cheers every time we pull up - "Nanna! We're Home!" Thanks to your video today I'm happy to continue picking away and improving our little home, respecting it's settling and unique angles. Honestly, I do understand that my granddaughter will eventually learn that Nanna can not really control the roll of a ball with a wave of her hand. It's just how the floor slopes! Until then we will work and learn together. Hopefully, one day it will be her tricking a grandchild with her magic.

[@charliejohnston1978]

Older houses are homes all built by men, are much stronger than the new weaker cheaply framed houses

[@ROlson-dx2jc]

Please have Daniel on often! I l love his respect for trees and what they need (and don't need). Agree with "undoing what I thought was a good idea at the time"!😮😊

[@ellenmcdermott-cz2zz]

I’ve been trying to figure out pruning my young fruit trees and this is the first video that made sense to me and stuck in my mind. Love the use of the phrase “my precious,” that will really stick with me. Thank you so much!

[@iRuthe]

Great video, Anne, Daniel & Adam. Tons of helpful info! "Most of my life: undoing things that seemed like a good idea at the time." 😂 Right there with you! Thanks for being so honest and real!

[@HrRezpatex]

I have done this for about 20 years, and i cut the trees in a bit different way. But i want to point out that everything he said in this video is correct and a absolutely fine way to do it. (and those trees are very young trees, so that even if you do it his way at that stage, that is completely fine even if you want to do it my way later.) When it comes to fruit trees in private gardens, i prefer that they do not get to high, so i make them grow like an umbrella. The goal with that is the idea that people should not need to climb to get their fruits. I am impressed by his knowledge about this. 🙂 I fine way to learn about plants in general, is to read / see KZbin videos about how to make bonsai trees, even if you are not going to make any bonsai trees. Because that way you will learn very much about how trees work, and not only what to do, but why you should do it.

[@HrRezpatex]

@@maplenook In short, you cut those that grow upwards and save most of those that grow out on the side and down. That will make the tree look like an umbrella in the end. The main point of this is that you can walk on the ground and reach all the fruit.

[@adamhellqvist9223]

Can't believe I'm sitting here super excited about getting out tomorrow morning and prune our old pear tree and young plum tree. 😅😍

[@maverick5794]

ive had fruit trees for 35 years the hardest in my op[non are pear and plum trees just my thought

[@ByHisGraceWeAreSaved]

You're not alone :)

[@astridexplorer5096]

This is hands down the best video I have seen on KZbin about the care and maintenance of fruit trees for the many of us who have gotten it all wrong. Thank you so much.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Wow, thank you!

[@alisongilbert8902]

I LOVE that line! "What most of my entire life is, is undoing things that seemed like a good idea at the time." Can relate!!!!!

[@joank9108]

That was my favorite line, too! 😂 Story of my life!

[@bizzhat]

super helpful - I've realized so many mistakes I've made. - if possible, would also be cool to have tips like this for 'out of shape' old tress

[@sonjamccart1269]

This is fantastic. I have about 10 young fruit trees in my backyard that have been totally neglected for two years. This will help me understand how to take care of them the right way up front, before they put too much energy into leaves and fruit.

[@devintheguru]

This is one of the funniest educational videos I've seen. I love the openness to learning from past decisions. Learning what you're doing now thoroughly when you take on a project really benefits you greatly by time saved from not having to fix things that set you back big time 🍵🌈🙏

[@annad.1457]

As a new master gardener intern, I just LOVED the step by step discussion on the science (and art) of pruning your fruit trees! It has reinforced some of the information from my Woody Ornamentals module and I will book mark this for future reference. Thank you Anne and to your friend Daniel, for sharing the excellent teaching opportunity for everyone to enjoy and gain knowledge :)

[@simongilchrist3329]

My family and I have just started our hobby farm on our new (140 y.o., but new to us) property. We started our orchard last summer so this video was really helpful. Thanks, Anne. I love your videos.

[@ChegatronExpress]

I have just remembered another point to consider when pruning which the tree cutter doesn't suggest is to clean your tools between each tree just like a surgeon would. It is a lot easier to do with hand tools rather than chainsaws.

[@davidjames1063]

I do that myself between each customer. Fungal spores can transfer otherwise.

[@audiophile5711]

There is so much more to taking care of fruit trees than I ever imagined. Thank you for the excellent education

[@shadytreez]

If you use seaweed fertilizer it helps establish it and provides growth hormones so it will fruit the second year after planting. It will grow 3x as fast too.

[@nicholaslake5937]

I had a peach tree split from the weight of the fruit....a storm with decent wind came through, got the branches whipping around, and that was it. Thank goodness I was able to cut the split portion off and the rest of it is still going strong. I learned to prune a bit more and, when it looks like a bumper crop is coming in, you have to pinch off some of the fruit. It hurts to do it, but if you don't you are playing with fire.

[@karenfranklin2440]

That one video gave me more sensible and useful information than the hundreds of other small clips that I've watched and left thinking.. 'but why...?'... thank you soooo much

[@XoshBitt]

I think I would have tried to air layer off all of those bigger branches so you could perhaps get a bunch of new trees which were already large for free. If the air layer failed it doesn’t matter since you were going to remove the branch anyway. If you have the time… a little effort can reap big rewards. 😊

[@paulandrulis4672]

I have had fenceposts start putting on branches before, with nothing but a 3 to 4 inch diameter green trunk and all branches stripped off. What a tree can do is often amazing. Makes me wonder what would happen if you pulled all the fruit, left some leaves, cut the base at a 45, and then painted the lower section with honey before plopping it in a hole. The posts that grew always had some green bud shoots that after burying turned into roots, those little bud clumps of leaves right next to the trunk/branch. I think that is the key to starting it getting rooted concerning a mature branch.

[@davidsmith663]

Growing tree's from cuttings or air grafts removes the benefit of the root stock which controls the growth and cropping. These tree's will usually grow into monsters with smaller fruit. Small gardens need an M27 stock, which will need staking but will give a small tree that crops well. A larger garden could take an M106 which will give you a larger self supporting tree but if you have a small holding with plenty of room, an M1 will give a massive tree. Don't forget that the larger the tree the more work involved in pruning and the harder it is to pick the crop.

[@texasgemtree]

@@davidsmith663 And if the tree dies back, you get rootstock growing up instead of the fruit tree you thought you bought. A lot of the time, the rootstock CAN handle the heat or cold and the top tree cannot. But better to lose a tree that can't live in the environment instead of growing rootstock that is inedible. All the study I have made does not seem to show that the rootstock makes the top tree a better product. Instead, it makes it a faster product to get into the market and makes faster fruiting because the rootstock is older and the grafted tree is younger.. Rootstock is easy to grow because it is more hardy. After we have had all these hard freezes (climate change) I have a yard full of rootstock growing and the ONE lemon tree that was grown from a cutting IS coming back up from the roots.

[@popsomniferum]

@@davidsmith663 so true.

[@tylerk.7947]

@@texasgemtree there’s a reason why virtually all apple trees are grown on selected rootstock. There’s many reasons actually.

[@mybootscamewithoutstraps]

Another wonderful use for limbs you plan to prune is to air layer them. Make new trees from limbs you plan to remove. Easily one of the best ways to not feel bad about removing limbs, because then you have a new tree from it. Just gotta remember that if you have fruit trees on dwarf root stocks, and propagated new ones will no longer be on dwarf stocks, so you'd end up with a full size tree. Gotta graft it onto a dwarf stock.

[@k9spot1]

came here to say this 👍👍

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Stay tuned for our propagation video coming this fall! We’ll go in depth into air layering, propagating cuttings and picking the right trees/species to do so. We intentionally DID NOT show that in this video, because, we wouldn’t want to propagate these particular cuttings from these particular trees. Cuttings from grafted dwarf trees like these wouldn’t make for the kind of fruit trees we actually want- cuttings make perfect clones of the species of whatever was originally grafted onto the dwarf rootstock, so cuttings from these specific trees would, more likely than not, produce an unmanageably tall tree unsuited for safe/efficient fruit picking. And further, without a diversity of species/variety of trees, orchards are far more prone to devastating plights of pests and diseases, because if one tree is affected, it’s highly likely all the other trees of the same species will also be affected, and that danger is only amplified if you’ve got cloned trees. If a pest/fungus/disease settles into a monocrop orchard (or worse, an orchard of cloned trees), it will have a veritable buffet of susceptible plants at it’s disposal, and will multiply and get out of hand quickly. As an organic farmer, because we don’t use pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides, we want as many different species of trees from as many different sources as possible in our orchard, because this way, if a certain pest or disease likes one variety of tree but not another, then we only lose the crop/ or a single tree rather than the entire orchard.

[@billyblackie9417]

Good idea to do cuts at an angle so water doesn't lodge on the cut and the slope of the cut allows rain water to run off so the branch gets better opportunity to heal and grow back

[@ChegatronExpress]

No need to to do the cuts at an angle unless the stem is vertical. Right angle cuts mean smaller surface area for the tree to heal. Most branches are at an angle so water runs off anyway.

[@dianenewton3864]

very informative 😊 also, Can't you propagate the cuttings so they're not wasted.

[@vikkirat]

@@dianenewton3864 yes....just wondering the same thing ! like strip off the leaves and look for buds along the branch, then plant?

[@chironchangnoi]

@@dianenewton3864 I was thinking the same thing the whole time. It's kind of FAAFO but if you don't try you won't know.

[@chironchangnoi]

@@ChegatronExpress I've heard the term "weather cuts" but haven't thought of it in this way. Thank you!

[@Nikonguy73]

So I had someone here that does what Dan does, my lemon tree after 4 years is still no bigger than my forearm and after spring still has no leaves so that needs to go and be replaced with one that’s more mature… My apricot tree is 4 years nice and green with leaves but still no flowers or fruit, he said that there’s no graft, and that it will also need to be replaced when they come into the nurseries, so 4 years anticipating for nothing 😢. Informative video, Thankyou for sharing these insights 😊

[@danacarbone9405]

looking at the cut on my thumb from my pruning saw as you make this video!

[@lynxg4641]

What an excellent video Anne, comes at a great time as I'm trying to hatch/grow fruit trees for my brothers' property, hopefully will make them more hardy and be strong and healthy when he finally finishes building his house and is ready to plant them. Absolutely agree with others, we can't or at least not just instantly know everything, it's when you refuse to learn that things get bad, but if you're willing to accept your mistakes and learn, things always go better.

[@gavendb]

i've always pruned my peach and plums in an open center and not central leader.

[@marksaxton5001]

What does that mean? My Florida Prince peach in Zone 9 has become a Monster(over 15 ft!). I've heard of a fan shape vs. a traditional round shape. Is that what you are referring to?

[@gavendb]

@@marksaxton5001 also i prune mine to only be about 8 foot. that way theres no ladder necessary.

[@Sugarsugar-24]

This was so helpful! I’m getting ready to buy fruit trees and now I feel more confident about setting them up well. Thank you for posting!

[@hansgromer7170]

Wow Thankyou !!! I have an orchard with 2 and 3 year olds and this video literally just saved me so much blood ,sweat and tears! Also never do the mistake I did and spray for June beetles with Neem oil . Lost some of my key leads. Set a tarp down and shake them off and feed em to the chickens.

[@amymcamis4505]

I'll be watching more from you - very relatable. I'm glad to hear you and Daniel(?) have made a whole series. I am about to head outside and confidently trim my young fruit trees now. Thank you!

[@TubeDude78]

I usually much prefer your videos that have you making things or working with the animals, but this was surprisingly informative and had a lot of interesting new concepts to learn about. Thanks for teaching me! Daniel was great!

[@mybootscamewithoutstraps]

Wait...he was talking about central leads for peaches and plums, but aren't stone fruits supposed to be pruned to have an open center for air flow and fruit production??? Why was he trying to make all of these central leaders?

[@jasonmckenzie380]

Wished I had seen this 2 years ago - I planted 2 pear trees in my suburban back yard 3 years ago. They were both multi-graphed trees - 1 was traditional western pears and the other was eastern pears. Both trees grew so well after planting and the second year flourished producing fruit on both trees. Over the second winter (south-eastern British Columbia, Canada) the local deer took a liking to the oriental tree and nearly striped it other than 3 branches. Last year, the western tree grew to about twelve feet high as I had never pruned it and produced no fruit. The little crippled orientalist tree produced 15 pears. Great video. I’m much more knowledgeable now. Thanks.

[@Fjupt]

I found this very helpful and I made a few of these mistakes myself... But rather late than never! My cherry tree is 2~ years and my apple trees are half a year. so with all of this in mind, I will have been a good bit more prepared for taking care of them in the long term. So thanks a ton to you Anne and Daniel! very much appreciated.

[@surgeinc1]

Very helpful video! A bit off topic but we had to wrap chicken wire around our Loquat trees as the cats were using the soft trunk as a scratching post.

[@Keyspoet27]

Unfortunately, loquats won't do well long term here in Tennessee, but we had a beautiful one in my childhood home, in Monterey Park, California, and I've always wanted to grow them again. Wonderful fruit, despite the large seeds. I once made hard candy from the fruit pulp - amazing flavor, and the family loved it! My mom left any overripe fruit out for the local birds, which loved them, and came back for more!

[@elinor6525]

Ours did too, even years after the cats had died, the lower trunks were all knarly.