For larger cuts, a pruning saw is best. Some of the finer orchard pruning equipment is imported and may only be available from certain orchard supply houses. Clothespins, round toothpicks, and limb spreaders are needed during the tree training period for apples and pears. Limb spreaders can be made by cutting No. 9 clothesline wire into various lengths. Wooden and plastic limb spreaders are also available commercially.
Most orchard floors have some type of vegetative cover, usually grass.
The growth of vegetation must be controlled both in the row strips and row middles. In larger commercial operations, vegetation in the row strips is controlled by spraying chemicals, mulching, or cultivating. Vegetation in the row middles is usually controlled by mechanical or chemical mowing. In most cases, a combination of these control measures is used. Typically, the depth of tillage in row strips should not exceed 1 to 2 inches.