Pruning Guide

Pruning Calendar

Fruit	Ideal Pruning Time
Apricot	Late winter/early spring, as new flowers begin to open. Can also be done in mid-summer once fruit has set to inhibit excessive growth and to shape the tree.
Blueb erry	Late winter/early spring, after severe cold is over and before new growth begins.
Cherry (Sour)	Late winter, after cold weather and frost has passed but while they are still dormant.
Cherry (Sweet)	Late summer. Sweet cherries are susceptible to bacterial and fungal disease. Pruning in late summer (rather than winter) reduces the risk of the trees getting infected.
Currant (Red)	Late winter, just before they come out of dormancy (before new growth appears).
Currant (Black)	Early winter (December), when branches have lost their leaves.
Goji Berry	Late winter to clean out unwanted stems. Prune again in summer to control structure and canopy growth.
Gooseberry	Late winter, just before they come out of dormancy (before new growth appears).
Grape	Spring (February/March, even as late as April). Hard frost in late winter can damage pruned canes and buds.
Hardy Kiwi	Winter (December to March). Then again in mid-summer (June) and again in late summer (July/August).
Jostaberry	Early winter (December), when branches have lost their leaves. Shoots can also be shortened in the summer.
Nectacot	Late winter/early spring, as new flowers begin to open. Can also be done in mid-summer once fruit has set to inhibit excessive growth and to shape the tree.
Nectarine	Late winter/early spring.
Peach	Early spring, as the buds swell and begin to turn pink. Better to prune too late than too early.
Pear (Asian)	Late winter/early spring, before buds begin to swell. Fruit develops on fruiting spurs, so leave the spurs where you want fruit. The spurs grow out of 2-year wood.
Pear (European)	Late winter/early spring, before buds begin to swell. Fruit develops on fruiting spurs, so leave the spurs where you want fruit.
Plum	Mid-summer during full growth (June/July). Plum trees are prone to fungal disease. Pruning in mid-summer minimizes risk of infection.
Raspberry
Strawberry