August Fruit Tree Pruning Guide for a Larger, Improved Harvest - My Expert Gardener's Late-Summer Pruning Checklist
In the heart of summer, as the days grow longer and the fruits ripen, it's time to tend to our fruit trees. August is a crucial month for pruning, a practice that can significantly improve the quality and quantity of your harvest. Here's a guide to pruning some common fruit trees, as well as some helpful tips and tools for the job.
Firstly, let's talk about the tools. Japanese gardening tools, such as Okatsune pruners, can be found at Walmart, and they are a great addition to your gardening arsenal. Keeping these tools sharp is essential, and the Okatsune sharpening stone is a helpful tool for maintaining their effectiveness. For thicker branches, heavy-duty loppers are a must. For those hard-to-reach branches, a telescopic extendable tree pruner comes in handy.
Now, let's delve into the trees. April, August, and September are the months for pruning apricot trees. Thinning out overcrowded growth is important for producing the tastiest fruit, and pruning in August lets light penetrate the crown and provides plenty of ventilation. Apples also require August pruning to snip away any non-fruiting shoots that are drawing too much energy.
Pears, another easy fruit tree to grow, should be pruned in August as well. Dappled light reaching every fruit is important, so thinning the stems and reducing vigorous, unproductive shoots is necessary. The live Bosc Pear Tree (Pyrus 'Bosch') is a heritage variety that can be grown in smaller yards.
Peach trees benefit from open, airy crowns, reducing the risk of mildew and pests. Peach pruning is usually done after the harvest is finished, and pruning should be done carefully to avoid impacting next year's fruits.
Mulberry trees, with their delicious crop, should be pruned in August for practicality rather than shaping. Damsons naturally shed some of their fruit in early summer, but lending a helping hand by thinning fruits can improve the quality of the remaining fruit.
Lastly, quince trees, surprisingly easy to grow, can become dense and heavy, making it hard for sunlight to filter through. Learning how to prune quince trees is important to improve the ripening process. The Fiskars pole saw is a highly rated tool for pruning quince trees.
Pruning fruit trees in August can open up their canopies, improve air circulation, and direct the trees’ energy toward ripening fruit, leading to a bigger, better harvest. So, grab your tools, and get pruning!
Augment your home-and-garden lifestyle with the right garden tools for pruning fruit trees in August. Japanese gardening tools like Okatsune pruners, loppers, and extendable tree pruners can help you maintain your trees effectively.
August is crucial for pruning apricot, apple, pear, peach, mulberry, and quince trees, each requiring specific pruning methods to produce the tastiest fruits and optimize harvest.
