Pruning Resources
Articles, Links and PDF's
"General Principles of Pruning Fruit Trees" is overview of the major themes found in the grafting literature. Start with this one, since the other summaries tie back into this overview.
"Just Cut It vs. Thought" distinguishes between the easy cuts (of course, take out the broken and dead branches) and the ones that require multiple variable thinking (e.g., What is the downside of making this corrective cut?)
"Tools Used in Tree Training: Manipulation of Apical Dominance" provides an overview of the role of auxin and apical dominance on fruit bud formation, covering both pruning cuts and limb positioning through spreading techniques.
"Fruiting Patterns and Their Implications for Pruning" that summarizes the distinctives of fruit bud characteristics various types of fruit trees and what this means in terms pruning and training practices.
For your convenience I have several PDF's of pamphlets from ag schools and other experts listed below (click on the dark green text for each entry). The way to approach this reading is to look for good diagrams and illustrations of tree structures, types of cuts, etc., and read the text associated with those graphic depictions.
"Pruning and Training Fruit Trees" from Iowa State University
"Training and Pruning Your Home Orchard" from the Washington, Oregon, and Idaho consortium.
"Pruning The Orchard" from Utah State University
"Fruit Trees: Training and Pruning Deciduous Trees" by the Putnams is actually a power point presentation (not an article). As a power point they were able to use great photographs and enough corresponding text to make it very useful for seeing and understanding major pruning and training principles.
I like the excellent pictures in the Fleming's Nurseries article (click here) on pruning because of the excellent photographs of the finished product (it also includes non fruit trees -- you can skip that part).
"Just Cut It vs. Thought" distinguishes between the easy cuts (of course, take out the broken and dead branches) and the ones that require multiple variable thinking (e.g., What is the downside of making this corrective cut?)
"Tools Used in Tree Training: Manipulation of Apical Dominance" provides an overview of the role of auxin and apical dominance on fruit bud formation, covering both pruning cuts and limb positioning through spreading techniques.
"Fruiting Patterns and Their Implications for Pruning" that summarizes the distinctives of fruit bud characteristics various types of fruit trees and what this means in terms pruning and training practices.
For your convenience I have several PDF's of pamphlets from ag schools and other experts listed below (click on the dark green text for each entry). The way to approach this reading is to look for good diagrams and illustrations of tree structures, types of cuts, etc., and read the text associated with those graphic depictions.
"Pruning and Training Fruit Trees" from Iowa State University
"Training and Pruning Your Home Orchard" from the Washington, Oregon, and Idaho consortium.
"Pruning The Orchard" from Utah State University
"Fruit Trees: Training and Pruning Deciduous Trees" by the Putnams is actually a power point presentation (not an article). As a power point they were able to use great photographs and enough corresponding text to make it very useful for seeing and understanding major pruning and training principles.
I like the excellent pictures in the Fleming's Nurseries article (click here) on pruning because of the excellent photographs of the finished product (it also includes non fruit trees -- you can skip that part).
"Must Have" Books on Pruning
My number one choice is Richard Bird's Pruning Fruiting Plants. It is well illustrated and shows the pruning cuts on smaller structured trees like you find in home orchards and densely planted commercial orchards. It also shows summer follow-up cuts that are well illustrated.
A more general purpose book that includes excellent sections on pruning is Michael Phillips' The Holistic Orchard. This book ranks as my #1 general purpose book on caring for fruit trees. Spend a little bit more money and get the DVD that goes with the book--it is well worth it.
My number one choice is Richard Bird's Pruning Fruiting Plants. It is well illustrated and shows the pruning cuts on smaller structured trees like you find in home orchards and densely planted commercial orchards. It also shows summer follow-up cuts that are well illustrated.
A more general purpose book that includes excellent sections on pruning is Michael Phillips' The Holistic Orchard. This book ranks as my #1 general purpose book on caring for fruit trees. Spend a little bit more money and get the DVD that goes with the book--it is well worth it.