Q. I have a 5-year-old orange
tree and this year it has produced quite a bit of fruit. Many hang at the very
end of branches and some are in clusters. I’ve read somewhere to prune
these fruits However, I am not sure when to do that. Do I prune them now?
A. Removing the fruit so
that other fruit can become larger is a type of pruning called “thinning”. It
is also done if the amount of fruit could break limbs or cause other fruit to
be pushed off the tree.
that other fruit can become larger is a type of pruning called “thinning”. It
is also done if the amount of fruit could break limbs or cause other fruit to
be pushed off the tree.
Thinning or removal of fruit from the limbs of fruit trees
with a focus on increasing the size of the remaining fruit is done when the
fruit is still very small. Usually about the size of your thumbnail. If the
fruit becomes large before it is thinned not much benefit will be passed on to
the remaining fruit.
with a focus on increasing the size of the remaining fruit is done when the
fruit is still very small. Usually about the size of your thumbnail. If the
fruit becomes large before it is thinned not much benefit will be passed on to
the remaining fruit.
Some fruit trees are not thinned because removing fruit
doesn’t seem to make much difference and increasing the size of the remaining
fruit. This is the case with most nut trees, figs, pomegranates and citrus.
doesn’t seem to make much difference and increasing the size of the remaining
fruit. This is the case with most nut trees, figs, pomegranates and citrus.
Most citrus is not thinned so the
remaining fruit becomes large. However, if the weight of this fruit threatens
breakage of the limbs, then, of course fruit is removed to eliminate that
possibility. It is best to remove the fruit early but if that is not done,
remove the fruit as soon as you see the threat of limb breakage.Otherwise, support the limbs so they don’t break and do some light pruning after harvest.