Summer Pruning

We are fortunate to have Jacob Verbeek and Hella Coenen talk about their experiences with pruning fruit trees.

This is an opportunity for you to have a hands-on experience of pruning a 15 year old orchard of mainly apple trees, some pears, plums, and peaches.

Summer pruning reduces photosynthesis, and thereby reduces the capacity for new growth the following year, versus Winter pruning which encourages new growth in Spring.

The timing for pruning fruit trees in New Zealand can vary depending on the type of fruit tree and the goal of the pruning. 

For most fruit trees, the best time to prune is after fruiting has finished. 

The general idea behind this radical new approach was that it encouraged the dormant buds at the base of branches to quickly form fruiting spurs. Traditional winter pruning was shown to encourage growth at the expense of fruit – great in the early years when the goal is to establish a good branch framework, but not so good once the tree had become established. This summer pruning is especially useful for containing growth (where the tree is being trained as a cordon or espalier, for example, or outgrowing the space available), and still helps with Lorette’s original aim of increasing fruit yields. https://rvroger.co.uk/blog/a-guide-to-summer-pruning-for-apples-and-pears/

You will be supplied with a detailed handout, morning tea will be provided.

You are welcome, those of you who would like to stay on after lunch, to do more pruning or take the beautiful walk to the top with 360 degree views of the Tararua and Masterton and its surroundings.