Q. Last week I purchased a semi-dwarf Elberta peach from a local nursery to replace the nectarine I took out. Tree is approximately 65″ tall. When I mentioned to one of the salesmen that I was planning to prune it back to the 4/5 branches that begin about 20″ from the ground, up to about 26″, he was pretty adament that this was not as good idea as the hormones that promote root growth are located at the tips of branches that I would prune off? I remember that when I purchased my last tree from the orchard the gardener there recommended that I cut it back to about 24″ tall. So, the only thing I can think of for conflicting instructions is the nursery tree had leafed out and the Orchard one was dormant? Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you recommend pruning, should I do it now or wait until the tree goes dormant? A. You can do that to this tree but I would wait until winter. Taking the center out of a Peach tree and leaving the lower scaffold limbs is quite common. This is how we train a fruit tree into open center form. One of the major dangers that can occur when we take the center out of a tree, is sunburn to the top surface of the remaining limbs. We can discourage sunburn to these limbs by leaving some smaller branches above this area that might produce some shade to the upper surface of the lower limbs. The other thing we can do is to whitewash the upper surfaces of the remaining limbs with dilute white latex paint. White latex paint is diluted with water in a 1:1 mixture. You can use more water than this as long as the remaining wood is white. This lighter color will help to reduce sunburn to the limbs. Apply it with a brush. Taking the center out of peach tree to make an open center form. Most of the nursery workers do not know how to prune fruit trees. In fact, few do. Looking at your pictures you could take the top out this next winter. There is a precaution on peaches I should mention. If the diameter of the wood you are cutting on the main trunk is more than about ¾ inch with no side branches below the cut you may have trouble getting more branches to “sprout” from below the cut. But if you cut the trunk out to just above at least a couple of good side branches you will have no trouble. Don’t forget to paint the tree with diluted white latex paint to prevent sunburn after you make your cuts this next winter. Another thing. You are going to have problems with that Peach tree if it remains in rock mulch in our desert soils.