![]() Remove sucker growth from the interior of the tree and around the base of the trunk annually. Be sure to remove all dead and broken limbs when you prune. Prune young trees (up to 10 years of age) lightly. Note the increase in vigor and reduction in fruiting wood the more severe the cut. The image above illustrates the growth that occurs when a dormant shoot (A) is not headed, (B) is headed one-third of its length (C) is headed two-thirds of its length, or (D) is headed to remove all of the previous year's growth. Thinning cuts do not induce excessive vigorous regrowth and open the tree's canopy to allow more sunlight into the interior. A thinning cut is the removal of an entire shoot back to its point of origin. Heading cuts result in a thicker and denser canopy and reduce light levels within the tree. The number of shoots that develop and the vigor of the growth will depend on the severity of the heading cut. A heading cut results in several shoots developing just below the location of the cut. ![]() Heading cuts remove the terminal buds that normally inhibit shoot development from buds below the terminal or end of the shoot. This type of cut involves shortening a limb or shoot by removing a portion off the end. ![]() Regardless of the type of tree you are pruning, there are only two types of pruning cuts. Older trees (25 years and older) will produce higher-quality fruit following a vigorous pruning. Excessive pruning encourages excessive shoot growth and reduces the quality of fruit on young trees.
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