Only prune peach trees when you see the first buds

Peach pruning is a traditional activity and it needs to be done during the spring. If you are not sure how to do it but you are getting yourself ready, we shall help you. You will know that the time is right when you see first little leaves and buds.

3 types of shoots

Peaches produce 3 types of branches and shoots. These are fruit and sterile branches. Fruit bearing branches are further divided into true and false ones. We shall look at all three categories in more detail. Check the sketch for better understanding.

True fruit bearing shoots

You can recognize these fruit producing branches by the fact that almost the entire leaf bud is covered with buds on both sides. Each side has one bud. If you cut the true fruiting branch, other shoots will sprout out from the remaining leaf buds.Their leaves will effectively help nourish the fruit at the base of the tree.The stronger the cut, the stronger the shoots will be. This will increase the probability that another true shoot will grow, and that is what you need.

Picture: Radek Štěpán

False fruit bearing shoots

False shoot carries only single, self-growing buds and there is only one single leaf bud at the top. Unfortunately, single leaf bud is weak and cannot nourish fruits. If you clip it out, only flowers will grow. Therefore, it pays to remove these shoots completely. Keep in mind that the older and more neglected the tree is, the higher the number of false fruit shoots. Your tree will still bear fruits but of poor quality.

Picture: Radek Štěpán

Sterile shoots

You can spot them easily. When you see very small buds you know it is a sterile shoot. Look at the sketch. They are usually pruned down to one bud. Often we encounter trees that have not been pruned for several years. Here, you need to perform a rejuvenating cut to restart the necessary life cycles and to allow new shoots to grow again.

Picture: Radek Štěpán

Photo: Pixabay