In the medium-density central leader system, portions of trees are cut back severely for several years to stimulate growth.
Emphasis is placed on building a large, strong framework to support future crops.
To achieve these ends in a system such as slender spindle, very little pruning is done in early years. The goal is to promote early fruiting, which itself will inhibit future growth. All high-density systems require a greater knowledge and understanding of plant growth and of how the tree will respond to cuts. In early years, more attention is paid to training and positioning limbs than to pruning them. As trees mature, most high-density systems will be more productive if trees are pruned in both winter and summer.