Tools for pruning cuts include sharp loppers or pruning shears. Let’s take a look at some apricot pruning tips. Thanks again. Look for them below the main branches of the tree, closer to the ground. Thin out the canopy so that sunlight reaches the interior and air circulates freely. Keep an eye out for boughs that are producing a lot of apricots and becoming too weighed down, and cut away some of the branches to prevent breakage. Remove branches that rub together. from the ground and remove any side shoots. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Ready to prune in fall here in Saskatchewan (Canada). Instead, use an orchard ladder, which has a more sturdy tripod structure. Wherever the flowers start to blossom and bees are hovering over, that's where the fruit will start growing. Branches any lower should be pruned. Wish I knew why. In this case, 96% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. These perfectly vertical new branches won’t produce fruit, but often block sunlight from reaching the fruit on lower branches. Trimming vertical branches encourages new branches and leaves to form, and prevents them from growing too tall and blocking sunlight. Trim your tree as soon as possible after harvesting fruit. Think of a clock, and look to keep branches growing outwards at about a 2:00 or 10:00 angle. Last Updated: June 18, 2020 Just follow the ring of the collar. This is a thicker, ridged area of bark that connects the branch to the trunk. If the tree is very tall and overgrown, don’t cut a lot of height off at once, as the tree may have trouble forming new growth through the thick bark of its lower trunk and branches. Remove all branches with a narrow crotchâthose that grow up more than out. % of people told us that this article helped them. This article has been viewed 40,185 times. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Fruit tree pruning typically occurs while the trees are still dormant, from mid-February to early April. Folding and leaning ladders not safe to use when pruning, as they’re not stable on uneven ground. Make sure the branches you leave on the tree are several inches apart. Branches that cross or rub against each other should be pruned out, as should redundant limbs and branches that grow toward the interior of the tree. Here are the steps in pruning a newly planted apricot tree: Apricot tree trimming during the second year reinforces the structure you began in the first year and allows for some new main branches. Remove all branches that are within 18 inches of the ground. This practice encourages lateral branching, which will cause sufficient leaves to grow and enable the tree to produce the best possible crop of cherries. Some "general" tree pruning advice: First, decide on the height and shape you wish to finally achieve, keep in mind this may take 3 or 4 years to achieve on mature, overgrown trees. If that doesn't remove much material, remove branches that are crossing, growing the wrong direction, etc. Keeping these intact will help prevent over-pruning and ensure your apricot tree’s overall structure is sound. Pruning dormant fruit and nut trees can be done from the beginning of leaf-fall until buds begin to emerge; in the Sierra foothills, January and February are generally the best times to prune. Thinning of branches on an old, neglected apricot tree should be staged over several years in summer. Only trees with a sound, healthy trunk and main branches that show signs of having grown and cropped well in the past are worth attempting to renovate.