PruningDwarfFruit&OrnamentalTrees Plan�nganorchardofdwarffruittreesis exci�ng whenyouthinkofthepossibilityof growingyourownapples,peaches,pears, or cherries. In the South, you can even oranges, lemons, and limes. Dwarf fruit trees are quite easy to maintain and provide pre�y flowers in spring and fruit in fall. Fruit trees are pruned the same way as ornamental trees, but with some addi�onal pinching back. Dead, diseased, or crossing limbs are removedforop�malplanthealth. Dwarfrootstockisavailable for most fruit trees. The trunk with branches producing flowers and fruit is gra�ed onto a root chosen for hardiness and not fruit quality. Perhaps therootstockwill survive into growing zone 3 or will produce a dwarf tree, no ma�er what Ge�ngfruittothetablerequirespa�ence. variety is gra�ed onto it. Appletreescantake2-5yearstoproduce Thereareafewrulesaboutgrowingfruit. their first fruit, while dwarf trees will bear fruit more quickly. Fruit trees o�en set far too 1. Makesureyourchosenvarietywillgrow manyfruitsthanthetreehasenergyto in your growing zone. Oranges will not producewell.Theflowersandfruitsstartto growinzone5andapplesarenot budonshortknobbybranchescalledspurs, recommendedforzone8. that grow off a main branch. Thinning these 2. Take note of the pests and diseases that fruits before they mature will improve the yourdesiredfruit trees may be subject quality of those le� behind. A tree that is le� to and howtobestcontrolthem. with an abundanceoffruit this year will 3. All fruit trees, even those labeled self- producemuchlessthefollowingyearasitwill fer�le, need a second variety that is a needtore-energizeitself. Avoid the “feast or compa�blepollinatortosetfruit. famine”cycleofyourfruittreesbysimply 4. Cut all suckers back from the base of a pinching or knocking off excess developing gra�edtreeastheyaregrowingfrom fruit, leaving one or two fruits per fruit spur. therootstockandarenotnecessaryfor thetreetothrive. Somefruitbearingplantsarenottreesbut 5. Even though they bloom in the spring, shrubs: Raspberries, blackberries, currents, they need to be pruned in late winter andgooseberriesareallmul�-stemmed before bud swell. shrubs and need the same pruning as ornamentalshrubs.Frui�ngshrubsusually 21