We prune fruit trees to remove dead and diseased wood, improve the shape and strength of the tree, and to alter fruit production. Wood to be removed Step back and look at the tree. Figure 1 Remove all dead or damaged wood. These limbs seldom mature fruit. Also, remove old, shaded spurs on the inside of the tree.
Spurs are short crooked shoots upon which flowers and fruit are borne.
Be sure to leave plenty of healthy spurs for fruit production. These include large limbs as well as twigs on the outermost part of the plant. A uniform thinning of fruit-bearing twigs opens the crown, and improves the fruit set. Figure 2 Where to cut Never leave stubs. The collar is a swollen ridge of bark at the point of connection between branch and trunk.