Q.
I pruned some fruit-laden heavy branches from my semi-dwarf nectarine tree
during the hot summer months last year. I think I’ve damaged the tree. The
leaves on a few branches turned yellow/orange while 80% of the other leaves
look dead. Should I do some heavy pruning, or wait and see?
 |
| Limb breakage of peach due to heavy fruit load. Thin and prune. This opening can lead to sunburn on the branches and subsequent borer damage to the limbs. |
A.
Leave the tree unpruned this season to protect itself as much as possible. Let
it send up lots of new growth this spring and hope for the best. Right now, the
tree needs to shade its larger limbs and trunk to help prevent sunburn and
prevent borers from attacking the tree. Scientists report that borers love to
attack peach and nectarine trees where intense sunlight has damaged it. Borers are
not controlled by winter sprays of horticultural oil.
 |
| Peach tree painted with white latex paint right after planting. |
Paint the upper surface of exposed large
limbs and the south and west sides of the trunk with diluted white latex paint.
Painting or covering these areas helps reduce sunburn. Sunburn results from intense
sunlight shining on exposed areas. Painting exposed surfaces of the tree with
any light-colored latex paint mixed half-and-half with water helps reduce this
damage. It won’t eliminate its possibility, but helps to reduce it.
As a precaution, drench the soil around
the tree with a systemic insecticide for borer control. Do this immediately
after the tree finishes flowering this spring. Don’t eat the fruit, produced
this season, from this tree because the insecticide is systemic and likely
inside the fruit. Most of it will be gone from the tree by the next growing
season. Follow the label directions exactly.
Next season remove major limbs only during
the winter months and always remove fruit from your tree when it’s tiny so as to
reduce limb breakage.