Kitchen Garden Forum

I have a problem. I should be pruning my 2nd and 3rd year bush and half standard apples and pears, but some of them look like there are buds almost ready to open. Is it still ok to prune or should I leave until next winter?

Hi Poppy! It ideally should have been done just before or after Xmas as increase in day length wakes them up. I wouldn't prune too much but definitely look for crossing or rubbing branches & get them sorted as this could lead to spores getting in & causing issues which are difficult to eradicate. I have not pruned before when the trees were young & crop was just fine.

I didn't realise you had to do it around Xmas time. I thought I had until March.
Everything seems to be emerging early as winter so mild. I have hawthorn bushes
producing leaves but these are now getting blasted by all these gales. Thanks for your
comments I'll just trim ones crowding centre. Thanks for your help.

Wouldn't want to risk cutting away this seasons harvest so I would personally either wait for next year or be very careful to not cut away any new shoots!

if the trees are young, they probably won't bear much fruit this season anyway so I would be tempted to leave alone now, take what fruit you're lucky enough to get and trim lightly early next winter.

Thanks for all advice. Much appreciated.