When is the best time to prune nectarine trees? Pruning methods and key points

Nectarine tree pruning time

Nectarine trees can be pruned in winter and summer, but late autumn is the best time to prune. It is pruned only once a year, and early pruning can heal the wound early. Pruning can be done after budding in summer, and pruning during the dormant period in early winter will cause the least damage to the nectarine tree and is most reliable for pruning the tree shape.

Pruning of nectarine trees

The benefit of pruning nectarine trees is that it can promote the full and plump growth of flower buds, and can also allow new branches to form early, which has a significant effect on promoting fruiting. It plays an important role in increasing the yield of adult nectarine trees and the renewal of aging trees.

Pruning methods and key points of nectarine trees

Cut off part of the annual branches of the nectarine tree, usually at one-third of the full buds on the branches, which is conducive to expanding the crown and increasing the load of the main branches. Completely cut off the useless or diseased branches of the nectarine tree to make them moderately dense and evenly distributed, and improve the ventilation and light transmission conditions of the crown to enhance the development ability of the branches and the differentiation ability of the flower buds.

Since complete pruning will reduce the amount of branches and leaves of the nectarine tree, you should also be careful not to prune too much, otherwise it will weaken its growth. Most nectarine trees are pruned to remove the strong and keep the weak, but when the trees are in the aging stage, the weak are pruned to keep the strong.