Winter Pruning January 2018

Join Tom Spellman and Phil Pursel as they work their way through a little winter pruning in our demo orchard.

[@tbluemel]

This is one of your best videos on pruning. When I grow up, I want to be just like Tom Spellman. Thank you guys!!

[@TheGardeningArtist]

I love all your videos. I can just watch them over and over.

[@jenniferwaters296]

Thank you. Very much appreciated. Tremendously helps me with the renewal pruning process. Keep the videos coming! See you in spring.

[@robkoss]

I really enjoy these pruning videos! Thanks so much for sharing them!

[@simonbennett3834]

We need more videos from you guys

[@ManangMeme]

I search online about pruning, planting videos and by far Tom Spellman is the best. Talk with action as I call. Please don't get me wrong i like talking but most people are busy and not much time to sit for 5 min.talking & 1 min. presentation esp.when pruning. Your the best Tom.

[@jenniferprescott8655]

I am sooo grateful for your vids. You my friend are the very reason I have ventured into planting fruit trees. Every thing I needed to learn, the inspiration came from you. I even went so far as to purchase only Dave Wilsons bare root fruits. I just put them in the ground three weeks ago. I feel both excited and a bit anxious about them..like having new pets you know little about Crazy ya?

[@poodleoodle7689]

Please do more videos. We are adding more fruit trees to our backyard. These videos are so informative for home orchards.

[@sandhollowhomestead6972]

Thanks for taking the mystery out of pruning. I still have lots to learn but this video has helped.

[@WAYTRUTHLIFE7]

Real important info regarding the non GMO Necta Zee and Honey Babe Dwarf peach and nectarine trees. I have 5 of these and I am so excited to find out that these are not genetically modified! Thanks again for providing excellent quality fruit trees for the average home gardener!

[@theseahagg]

Thanks Dave ! This video is so clear to me for two of my peach trees. Last month I winter pruned, but I learned today how to better see what my peach tree will need for good fruiting. I also learned that my tip toe around my trees approach is not as effective as it might be for the long term health and harvesting of and from of my peach trees. I am learning and in part, thanks to you.

[@tohopes]

HIS NAME IS NOT DAVE

[@StoneyRidgeFarmer]

Always enjoy your tips

[@namtonthat8]

Best pruning video. Love it.

[@nemodot]

NO ONE: ... Tom Spellman: DELICIOUSSSSSS

[@FlanaganHomestead]

Thank you gentlemen for several good examples and explanations

[@showtime20]

Tom is such a stud, he makes pruning fruit trees cool. Thanks for the video, I cant wait to see what my pluot trees do this year. Have you heard of anyone having success with them in Kansas?

[@andrewgoodwin3557]

Thank u please do more. Planted alot of fruit trees last year can't wait to c what i get.

[@flowergrowersmith449]

Andrew Goodwin There's a huge back catalogue by Tom - just search for Dave Wilson Nursery. Goes back years and all incredibly valuable!

[@rasnesta1399]

Thanks for posting.

[@LB-vl3qn]

I'm with BIg Papi; it really helps to watch you prune trees, but can you please explain more about how to tell the difference between fruiting and non-fruiting wood? Also, is there a way to prevent pomegranates from suckering? Love your videos. Straight talk, to the point, great info. Liked and subscribed. ~ Lisa

[@dawnpleasant2319]

Love your videos! I had to do this in January because the buds have already begun to swell on my fruit trees. It's been an unusually warm winter where I am. My Apple trees didn't drop all their leaves this year.

[@bonniehoke-scedrov4906]

Great video-thanks!

[@davidbravo4427]

More videos about pruning plum trees please

[@chick-a-bee-farm]

Your videos have given me the courage to get my tiny little orchard into shape. It includes 6 trees and they are in their 4th year. Just two week ago I went and opened them all up and brought them down to a size that is manageable, and I am so please with the way they turned out and am looking forward to seeing how they all do this spring and summer. There are 2 full size tart cherry trees in another location on our property that I have a question on. Is it possible to bring their height down? They are so tall that I can't reach 2/3 of the branches to harvest. They are about 7 years old and begin branching out at about 5.5 to 6 feet off the ground.

[@dh4923]

YES!

[@olafzernny2922]

Greatings from Transylvania Romania!

[@robkeller3431]

Hi Vampire 🧛‍♂️

[@ultragamer4960]

Do you have a video on how to correctly plant fruit trees?

[@cgh353]

PLEASE POST YOUR SPRING AND SUMMER VIDEOS I AM DYING TO SEE MORE FROM YOU GUYS. 4 months without a video from you guys...Im fiending a little bit.

[@carriad11]

Greetings from Nova Scotia Canada! Appreciate your expert advise to us backyarders! Obviously winter in California is not winter in Nova Scotia so are there any fundamental differences between close planting and the pruning schedule?

[@gabepettinicchio7454]

Great video, Tom. Does the maximum 30% annual pruning rule not apply to fruit trees?

[@treborterb]

Liviu e .... thanks for posting that, I for one appreciate the knowledge that you took the time to share, and didn't feel that your comment was in any way a mean or negative criticism.

[@BackyardGardening]

How if we gonna to plant these branch has prune. that can make root and give us same harvest Sir, you're really a beneficial man I'm from Iran and following your videos ever

[@maxhoney9108]

Love your video how you keep ghofers from eating your roots??

[@bigpapi3636]

I can't sleep the night before I winter prune my stone fruit orchard. I feel a lot better after watching this. I still don't quite understand the difference between vegetative wood, fruiting wood, fruit spurs, first year wood, second year wood, etc.

[@ayatti26]

Big Papi it's all a bout the sizes. Spurs are stubs on older wood, Spurs produce the flowers on plums, pears and apples. Older wood is considered 2 years and older. If a branch has side growth it is older than a year. Only the one year old wood is straight with no side branches. You see those during the growing season give it the title of one year old wood. Next year that branch will produce Spurs and side growth making it 2 years old. Two year old wood on peaches and apricots produce flowers that will produce fruit, that same branch won't produce fruit the third year, instead that branch will put out a new branch (1 year old) that will fruit next year (2 year old). Most owners remove the branch that just fruited, during the summer prune, to encourage a new branch to replace it for the next year. Just get to know your tree like your child and you will see the develop and know the difference in one season of observation.

[@bigpapi3636]

ayatti26 Thanks! Very helpful information. I appreciate it.

[@rlbgardener6465]

Tom, i have very poor and rocky property here where i live, would like to plant some apple, peach, and plum trees, so i'm going to need to plant them in a raised beds, would like to plant 3 trees in one bed, so my question is how big and how deep do my beds need to be to accommodate my trees?

[@peaceoutpeaceout4267]

Can you point out what exactly fruiting wood and fruit spurs are?

[@laurieflores1107]

so informative...thank you...

[@outdoorsbeyondnature1980]

Hello Dave Wilson Nursery I would like you to make a video on the fact that the drought is affecting farming causing disease to spread due to insect infestation.

[@outdoorsbeyondnature1980]

I would like to remind you before the 1960's central valley fruit basket of the world water table was 30ft deep in Fresno, County of California. We are now seeing city's going down deeper to maintain population growth and farmer's are putting in triplines and putting in deeper Wells. My thoughts on the environment it is changing caused by Mass diversion of water not recharging to underground Aqua table, But using it for farming. We need to establish marshlands and wetlands grassfield's for migrating birds and wild animals re-building the ecosystem in the San Joaquin Valley of California. My knowledge comes from Stratford Career Institute vocational online schooling based out of Canada and the Northeast.

[@yerneedsry]

How come no one ever uses a sm. chainsaw to top off and bring down the height?

[@saintmaxmedia2423]

For growing zone 6, when can I start pruning? And what trees? I pruned my apple tree in January 2 years ago, then we had very low temperatures and the tree died. I am so worried about when to prune my trees again. I worry that frost may damage the tree. What is your opinion on this? Thank you for this video. It is very helpful!!! What growing zone are you in? eva

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

Saint Max Media you can be certain that your apple tree did not freeze or die from pruning. Prune when it works best for the weather and your time.

[@saintmaxmedia2423]

Thank you. This is what our local pruning expert said as well. But it is so hard to believe because the tree was very much alive when I was pruning, it had green layer under the bark and the branches were fresh and brown. Then a few weeks, in February, we had a hard freeze like never before (well, maybe just not in the last couple of years) and in the spring the tree dried up and died. It never, ever happened to me before. Now I am afraid to touch my many trees during the winter.

[@BackyardGardening]

hello sir, please explain more about rootstock trees. how we know which one works better. thankfully

[@maxhoney9108]

Love your video How you keep ghofers from eating your roots ?

[@dagobaker]

how about a winter 19 update?

[@backyardgarden9230]

will the standard size Bartlett Pear Tree be cut down knee high and keep them grow like Dwarf rootstock? Bought 10 of them not knowing that they are std,.size, planted them 2 weeks ago. Call the nursery for advice, they had no idea.

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

Backyard Garden yes you can keep them any size by summer pruning them.

[@lofenoialof5320]

Does the “no more than 1/3” pruning apply to all fruit trees or are there some fruit trees that may tolerate more pruning ? I just pruned a large black mission fig and possibly cut more than 1/3 Thank you 🕊🌟

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

the 1/3 rule is if you want to bring a too tall tree down to size. Your fig will be fine.

[@lofenoialof5320]

Dave Wilson Nursery that makes sense : ) I’m glad to hear that the fig will survive

[@rosstodd03]

Can you still prune if the trees have started budding?

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

Ross Todd Yes, and all summer as well.

[@TheFrogfeeder]

Hi there, I have a semi dwarf peach from you guys. It was in a wine barrel for several years, now in the ground for 3. It was never pruned correctly. Can I cut about 3-4 feet above the graft and start regrowing branches? There are no branches on the trunk, tree is like a 10 foot tall lollipop... I’m in Sacramento and just starting to see first signs of bud swell, if I can cut it to a bare 3 ft tall stump, should I do it now?

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

That would be fine. Be sure there are heathy looking buds left below your cut.

[@TheFrogfeeder]

Dave Wilson Nursery hey thanks for the quick reply! that’s the thing, I don’t see any buds below the 2 main scaffold branches. I did a pretty heavy pruning the other day hoping to stimulate new growth, you think I should wait and see it the tree pushes some new buds along the trunk before I cut it? Btw, just got back from the nursery and got one of your “Katy” apricot trees, already pruned nice and tidy and shapely, also got your dwarf blackberry and raspberry and I thought I grabbed a dwarf blueberry but it’s a 2nd blackberry, gotta go back tomoro and trade... needed some plants for big pots on my patio..You guys grow a lot of good stuff :)

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

If you top it low now there is a very good chance it will push, since it has a three year old rootstock under it. But there is a small chance it will fail to push.

[@TheFrogfeeder]

Dave Wilson Nursery thankyou very much, awesome customer satisfaction!

[@susantow4632]

ENJOY YOUR TIPS VERY MUCH IS IT POSSIBLE DO SOME TREE 2 TO 5 YEARS OLD ,TELL US HOW MANY TIME THAT TREE HAVE BEEN PRUNED TO BE IN THAT SHAPE THANKS

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

You can bring older trees down to size by pruning a third off at a time, so you can prune it now, a third off the top. Then again mid-summer, or right after harvest. Then prune more off next winter. Our demo trees were pruned knee-high at planting, then topped every summer to keep them a certain height.

[@RayleneG679]

My nectarine tree is full of blooms. Can i or should i prune?

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

You can, if you want to bring it down. Not a good idea if rain is in the forecast.. you can always wait until it leafs out. We like to do size control pruning in the Spring, at the same time we're thinning the fruit.

[@lofenoialof5320]

How can you tell the difference between fruiting and non fruiting wood ? Also do you have an avocado ,guava , or persimmon pruning video ? Thank you so much !

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

Fruiting wood will have spurs, non-fruiting wood will be smoother.

[@lofenoialof5320]

Dave Wilson Nursery that’s good to know . How many bids would you recommend leaving on each branch? Thanks

[@caseG80]

L O F E N O I A L O F you usually don’t prune avocados. KZbin should have all the techniques about pruning you asked about and if you can’t find any info they prob don’t require it. Cheers

[@samsdailyblogg6489]

I have a few questions.. My husband passed away 2 years ago....he took care of all the trees on our property. We have apples and peaches...some of the peach trees that have been planted for I know at least 10 years....and they do not look like they have ever been pruned. They have grown straight up. They bloom they get peaches on them but they rot before ripping. Now I know a few things I can do and one is there are lots of trees around the Peach trees no sunlight is getting in. But what I need time know from you. Can I save these trees? It would mean a lot to me if I could. Now I punned the best I could in Febuary they are so talk I could not reach most of the tree...but from what I watched on here...could I bring all the height down to my size even though it's in bloom? Needing so much advice...PLEASE CAN YOU HELP?

[@DaveWilsonTrees]

It's best to bring them down a bit at a time. So prune them down a third right now, then more this winter. Then prune agin the following summer. Thinning the fruit is also very important for good quality. When the fruit is about the size of a quarter space the peaches out about 8 inches.

[@samsdailyblogg6489]

Dave Wilson Nursery .thank you very much....

[@caseG80]

Dave Wilson Nursery any info about thinning loquats? Should it be done? Thanks

[@parintele-]

The result of just cutting wood fast as Tom is doing in all the videos , keeping trees down by cutting the top etc....is visible in these videos. These trees have all the fruiting wood up...nothing at the base of the main branches. What that mean? Simple, the anterior pruning sessions were bad. So maybe another aproach fro. The beggining would be wiser. Also,you guys need to know something. For instance in peach trees...by removjng big branches you will not generate new low shoots simply because back-up buds are dead on older wood in peaches. Peach is not apple to regenerate like that..after 2 years of age, those sleeping buds will die and the growth will only take place on the young wood. So, I would like to see those peach trees you prune in this video after 1-2 seasons.... Learn how to prune guys...simply chopping wood here and there with no discrimination between species is not the way to go... I understand home gardner need very simple way of managing any tree but in the same time everybody needs to understand sometimes too simple is not possible. It just isn't,just like you can not simplify working on a car engine, it will just not work.

[@caseG80]

Liviu e they seem to have been around along time and get the results they explain. Maybe you could do us all the favor and show us the right way why ask them if you have the answers? And if you know more simply move on and do your thing. Cheers

[@parintele-]

@@caseG80 Who was asking them? I was not. Second, comments on mean an invitation for viewers to comment. That is my oppinion. Shoul it matter? Not for them, maybe for those looking to learn. A different oppinion is an invitation to study , in this case other sources. Maybe better things can be done. Seems fair. For me it was just a heads up for those interested to learn, this might not be the best source. For.the happy ones who consider "so mich time they are doing it" replace knowledge...great, my comment is not for them. Shluld I do that? Maybe, except there are people who did it better so it would be redundant, I do not sell anything so it would be purely my own pleasure, I prefer spending my resources in a different way for now. Just in case you want to see/hear a guy who knows his "sh*t",look for user Mikovel for example. Potare pesco...2 vids..another recent video where he explains the viability of reserve buds which is very limited ( reason for peach not to regenerate as easy as these guys presume)... There are useless hate comments and there are reasons for "negative" comments, huge difference. There is reason/argument which stand alone itself and there is "he knows because he is doing it for 50 years...if you are smarter let's see you"... Cheers. Ps. I have great respect for Tom and what he is doing. Also, I understand to some level why is need to oversimplify things. Is just in some matters wrong is wrong and too much is really too much,that is all.

[@caitzs]

"in peach trees...by removing big branches you will not generate new low shoots simply because back-up buds are dead on older wood in peaches." Tell that to my peach. I cut a large limb back - something like 3-4 inches in diameter - and several new young shoots sprouted. No problem. I think these guys know what they're doing.