Amy Draiss
Fruit trees offer so many seasons of delight, from the first frilly blossoms in spring, to the green canopies and emerging fruit in summer, to the harvest in fall. But all this requires work in the garden, such as fertilizing, treating pests, and annual pruning.
Exactly when to take up the pruners is an important question. The answer depends on the purpose of the pruning, and the type of fruit tree. Pruning a fruit tree at the wrong time can have serious consequences, leading to the loss of the next year’s crop, or even the death of the tree. Can fruit trees be pruned right after harvest? This is only appropriate for certain types of trees. But in fact, the answer is yes, in specific cases – so here are the 5 fruit trees to prune after harvest time.
Bypass blades like those of the Felco F2 Bypass Shears from Amazon give sharp precision cuts that heal quickly, making them ideal for young and thin fruit branches.
When to Prune Fruit Trees and Why
Pruning fruit trees, whether ground based or potted fruits, is an important part of caring for a home orchard. Cutting back trees serves many purposes, including limiting growth, opening up the tree center to sunshine, and encouraging a heavy fruit load. Cutting back a newly planted tree to create a strong branch framework is called training. Once a tree shape is established, trimming is termed pruning.
A classic gardening rule is to prune fruit trees during the dormant season, between late winter and early spring. Trees pruned during this time heal rapidly and can use their energy to create new growth as spring rolls in. However, some species of fruit tree can be pruned back ahead of the dormant season, just after the harvests.
You might worry about the possibility of fungal diseases when making cuts later in the growing season – specifically if the weather is damp. You can alleviate this if you ensure your pruning tools are sterile and cleaned properly after each use. Applications of isopropyl alcohol in concentrations of 70%, such as Dealmed Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol from Amazon, can reduce the risks of fungal diseases.
Best Fruit Trees to Prune after Harvest
While dormant pruning helps a tree to grow, late summer pruning puts a break on growth. The fruit tree uses up most of its root-stored energy in spring as it buds and leafs out. It won’t have excess energy to use for growth after late summer pruning. That means it will stay shorter for longer. This is actually a good thing! Many fruit trees can grow tall if not pruned, which makes the fruit hard to harvest. I admit to having a cherry tree taller than my house – I just get to eat the cherries that fall!
In terms of the general pruning calendar, fall pruning can also halt growth. Summer pruning means the tree has time to form buds before winter. Tree wounds in late summer heal while the weather is still dry, which prevents diseases from spreading. So only a small selection of fruit trees should be pruned after harvest. These range from evergreen – like avocado and citrus - to specific stone fruit trees. Here are 5 fruit trees to prune after harvesting.
1. Avocadoes
Evergreen fruit trees don't lose their leaves. If you prune these trees right after harvest, you can spur growth of new buds without risking the fruit harvest. Avocado trees are top candidates for post-harvest pruning. These trees grow in warm climates and the fruit harvest period ranges from June to September, depending on region and growing conditions. Pruning avocadoes right after harvest allows the tree to produce new growth before the flowering season. It also serves to keep mature trees at an accessible height – no taller than 15 feet (5m).
When pruning, hand pruners are fine for younger or more slender branches. For thicker branches wider than an inch (2.5cm) in diameter, use a hand saw like the Silky Zubat Arborist Hand Saw from Amazon. If you’re interested in growing an avocado of your own and want something cold tolerant, buy Avocado ‘Choquette’ from Fast Growing Trees for high yielding fruits.
2. Citrus Trees
Citrus trees include lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines. They are evergreen trees that grow best in warm climates, but citrus blooming and fruiting phases do vary. The season for harvest is usually late fall through early spring, varying by species and locale. If you would like to try growing your own citrus and are looking for something that will be happy in a variety of growing situations and hardiness regions, try a mandarin tree like the Brighter Blooms Owari Satsuma Tree from Amazon.
For a lot of citrus trees, pruning after harvest boils down to pruning in winter or early spring. But there are a few specific examples where citrus trees see harvests in early or late summer. Valencia oranges and limes can be harvested as late as September. It’s best to prune citrus trees after harvest to avoid losing immature fruit.
3. Guavas
Guavas are considered exotic in many parts of the country, but in warm-winter areas, like Florida and Southern California, and Hawaii, they grow well in home orchards. They are another evergreen fruit tree. Guavas produce crops twice a year, one in spring and one in fall.
When should you prune guavas? You can prune them after either the spring harvest or the one in the fall. That’s the time to shape the tree. It’s not hard to achieve a bushy tree with pruning, since for every shoot you cut, a couple of shoots will grow in. Take the time to prune out suckers if you want a single-tree look.
Where the branches are slightly thicker, or a little higher, use loppers like the Corona DualLink Extendable Bypass Loppers from Amazon, which are (as the name suggests) extendable as well as heavy duty, so good for high up cuts. If you’d like to grow a guava tree, you can buy Guava ‘Ruby Supreme’ from Fast Growing Trees.
4. Kumquats
Kumquats are officially citrus, but we list them separately because most people don’t think of them in the same category as oranges. The fruit is tiny and tart, perfect for jams and jellies. As a citrus tree, the kumquat grows best in warm climates with a growing season that can last through winter. Kumquat harvesting dates will vary depending on region, and can be November in Florida, and later in California.
The trees are small, generally shorter than the gardener, so they don’t need much trimming. But you should take off dead, diseased or damaged branches right after harvest to keep the fruit coming. If you are interested in growing a kumquat, you can buy a Nagami Kumquat Fortunella Margarita Tree as a live plant from Amazon.
5. Sweet Cherry
After all the evergreens, cherry trees may seem an unlikely addition to the list of trees to prune after harvest. And they are better suited to cooler states than the others, growing best in regions with winter frosts. Fruits mature in summer, and the tree goes dormant in winter. If you are interested in growing a sweet cherry tree, there are several great cherry trees available from Fast Growing Trees, including ‘Lapins’ and ‘Stella’ varieties.
The best time for pruning is right after cherry harvest. Cherries are susceptible to bacterial canker, a serious disease that spreads best during wet, cool weather. Pruning in the dormant period – late winter through spring – encourages the canker disease to spread. Making cuts in the summer is the best way to protect the tree.
If you need to ensure you have the sharpest cuts, be sure to keep a sharpening tool handy. Use a sharpener such as Sharpal’s 121N Dual-Grit Diamond Sharpening Stone File from Amazon, which is fine on one side and coarse on the other.
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