Q. My apple tree is still full of leaves and hasn’t lost
one yet. Should we wait to prune once it starts losing leaves or is it okay to
prune in the next couple of weeks? The leaves have turned a purply brownish
color but are still very much alive.
one yet. Should we wait to prune once it starts losing leaves or is it okay to
prune in the next couple of weeks? The leaves have turned a purply brownish
color but are still very much alive.
A. Go ahead and prune. We have not had a freeze hard
enough to knock off the leaves. The tree is fully asleep for the winter.
enough to knock off the leaves. The tree is fully asleep for the winter.
Actually you can start pruning
fruit trees as soon as they stop growing in late fall. We normally wait until
leaf drop because we can’t see where to make the pruning cuts easily. You can
also wait to prune until near February and that will be fine as well.
fruit trees as soon as they stop growing in late fall. We normally wait until
leaf drop because we can’t see where to make the pruning cuts easily. You can
also wait to prune until near February and that will be fine as well.
Leaves can be removed by running
your hands down the branches if they are in reach. Try shaking the limbs or rap
them lightly with a broom and they should drop as well.
your hands down the branches if they are in reach. Try shaking the limbs or rap
them lightly with a broom and they should drop as well.
If you want the leaves to drop
on their own, turn off the water to the tree until leaves begin dropping and
then resume your irrigations as needed.
on their own, turn off the water to the tree until leaves begin dropping and
then resume your irrigations as needed.
As for me, I would just wait for
normal leaf drop if it is difficult to see where to prune.
normal leaf drop if it is difficult to see where to prune.