Is it too late to prune peach tree? - Ask Extension
My peach tree has started to bud. Because of this, is it too late to prune it? How should I proceed?
Knowledgebase
Is it too late to prune peach tree? #858871
Asked February 10, 2024, 11:37 AM EST
My peach tree has started to bud. Because of this, is it too late to prune it? How should I proceed?
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Buds might be swelling a little on a variety of spring-blooming tree species, but they are not expected to open this early. Plus, we will almost certainly experience more winter weather before spring truly arrives, and pruning too early could result in winter injury to the tree. Therefore, we recommend waiting until right before (or even during) bloom to do any needed pruning. (Broken branches from storms or other causes can of course be pruned as soon as they're noticed.)
We are currently in the midst of revising many of our fruit growing pages, but our current peach pruning page may be useful regarding how to prune this type of fruit tree. Penn State, Virginia Tech, and other Extension resources also have peach pruning documents/pages, though they tend to get more technical or are geared towards commercial orchards.
Miri
We are currently in the midst of revising many of our fruit growing pages, but our current peach pruning page may be useful regarding how to prune this type of fruit tree. Penn State, Virginia Tech, and other Extension resources also have peach pruning documents/pages, though they tend to get more technical or are geared towards commercial orchards.
Miri