pruning fruit trees

[jlstephanie]

I believe that I'd started a thread on the wrong forum, 'cause I got no answer. Maybe this is where it's supposed to be. I'd written:
"Need a little information, please, on our new fruit trees. We've recently purchased, received, and planted some mail-order fruit trees, (grafted, 2-3 foot tall, dwarf stock) and now that they're budding, looks like I will need to pinch off some of the lower buds that are growing out at near ground level.
My question is this: When is the best time to pinch off their future branches (the buds)?
AND, a couple of the trees have what appears to be dead tops; they have buds growing out down the lower half of their 'trunk'(graft), but the top half has darkened and no growth- so the question about THAT is this; when's the best time to remove that- if it IS dead?
I don't want to get clipper-happy, but I do want to trim them when it's the least traumatic for them.
And, if I may ask one more question: we've dug several dozen -suckers? is that what you call them?- (baby) lilac bushes off my parents' way-outgrown 'Mama' bush, and they've been transplanted and are looking fine. I'd heard recently that it takes lilac bushes 4-5 years of growth before they flower. Is that true?
Sorry for so many questions at one time, but everything's GROWING at one time!"

 

[geofore]

fruit trees

Try this web site and enter fruit trees in the search on then hit go search.

www.ext.vt.edu/ departments or www.ext.vt.edu

 

[John Paul McMillin]

I take care of a large orchard and i am replating lost trees. You do need to prune off all suckers or limbs below the graft, and the dead tops sound like fireblight which should be pruned back at least a foot below the blackened wood. You need to start a spray scedule , i treat mine 8 times a year and i use a copper spray just at bud swell mixed with hort oil to control fireblight. when i prune the small trees i use the apple bush method and remove the leader to a lateral limb the same size or close to create an open center in the tree, then thin out the remaining lateral to create a scaffold effect. YOu really need to look at this in a book . If the tops have fireblight so bad that there is nothing left after you prune then you may have to start over . JPM

 

[jlstephanie]

Thank you both! I've got a further question about the suspected 'fireblight': John Paul- since these trees are
only a couple of feet tall now, is this a sort of disease that spreads down into the rest of the tree (if no immediate action is taken), and will it continue to spread on to its neighbor? And is this a problem stemming from an outside source- like an infection from other trees or spread from insects- or is it just a common fruit tree problem? Where do I find 'copper spray mixed with hort oil'? My extension office? I kinda feel 'Duh!' right now !

 

[John Paul McMillin]

this is the first year in 4 since i started taking care of this orchard that i have fireblight also. the conditions must have been right or my timing on my copper spray may have been off. Anyway, fireblight only attacks members of the rose family which apples are in and is the first plant disease to be shown to be caused by a bacteria. It is spread by insects , splashing water , birds or humans. it overwinters in the cankars on the tree. warm weather in the spring activates the bacteria. Severe pruning that promotes succulant growth, sprinkler irrigation and high fertililty all promote the conditions for fireblight. when pruning your trees, clean off your pruning shears between each cut with Lysol or bleach solution so you dont spread the disease. JPM

 

[John Paul McMillin]

re. the fruit tree mix that you can buy at the store should control fireblight , read the label and see if it does.

 

[John Paul McMillin]

Lilacs do bloom on old growth so prune off the flowers when they are done to promote more flowering next year. it probably does take them 4 to 5 years to mature to flower but im not sure . JPM

 

[jlstephanie]

JPM, -thankya, Thankya, THANKYA!-