[Arid_gardener] Re: Pruing Deciduous Fruit Trees/Vines

[Olin Miller]

Light pruning can be done any time of the year. However, perform major
pruning only during the dormant season as in right now or maybe a bit later
but before bud break.  The reason for pruning will determine how to prune.
Most deciduous stone fruit trees bear fruit on the previous year's growth so
if you are pruning for fruit production you would want to leave most of that
and prune out the older growth.  If you are interested primarily in shaping
the tree the age of the growth is less important.  In either case, prune it
off back to where the limb to be pruned emerges from the larger limb to
minimize weak bushy growth at the branch tips.  Don't get high expectations
for fruit from your nectarine tree.

Ponderosa lemons are typically thick skinned but if yours are growing from a
sucker that emerged below the bud union you may have a rough lemon which was
once a pretty common root stock for lemons.

Grapes should be pruned now during the dormant period.  If you are pruning
your grapes to train for an arbor just prune the way you want them to grow.
But if pruning to maximize fruit production, then your Flame should be
spur-pruned (Cordon system) and Thompson Seedless should be cane-pruned.  An
out-of-print U of A Extension bulletin at
 http://home.att.net/~millero/MC59_backyard_grapes.pdf
shows you how to prune.  Note that the broad spectrum insecticides mentioned
in the bulletin tend to also kill off predator insects which then encourages
secondary mite and insect infestations and are no longer recommended.

Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer
U of A Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County AZ
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---- Original Message ----- From: maryspicer1 at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2007 10:51 AM
> Mary Spicer,  85382
> We recently Purchased a house in Peoria and have a Plum, nectarine, peach
> tree that need pruning. I need to know when this can be done.  Also we
> have a ponderosa Lemon that did not bloom until July and is still blooming
> with a different sizes of fruit and blooms. I haven't found much info on
> this type of tree. Is this normal and how can I tell if some of the yellow
> is ripe. I have cut a couple and they are very tart and have thick skin
> and look like grapefruit when it it is cut.  Also have a mexican lime that
> started to bloom in September and still is blooming is this normal. Last
> question is we have red flame and Thompson grapes. I want to prune them
> but don't know, when or how much to cut them back. They grew limbs out
> about 12 feet from the bottom of the stock to the top of the stock which
> is about 6 ft high. The grapes I have seen in pictures are cut up at least
> 4 ft from the ground and don't spread out anymore then about 4 feet.
> Can you give me any info on my above questions I would really appreciate
> it.