How to Prune Young Nectarine Trees

Nectarine fruit

In the first years, prune a young nectarine sparingly, with the goal of a spreading, but upright structure. After the third or fourth year, you will phase into pruning thoroughly each year because the fruit originates from new growth. With proper pruning, you will gain higher quality fruit that is easier to harvest at a human-scaled height. You'll be rewarded by a taste usually not found at a supermarket, and by an annual harvest for perhaps 20 years, and sometimes up to 40 years.

Things You'll Need

• Gloves
• Hand pruners
• Lopping shears

Instructions

1. Perform a first pruning after planting in the spring. If the trunk has no lateral (side) branches, simply cut the trunk back to 24 to 30 inches in height. If the trunk has lateral branches, prune away any more than 3 to 5, favoring those evenly spaced around the trunk. Cut 2 to 3 inches off the length of each remaining lateral. Again, cut the trunk back to 24 to 30 inches in height.

2. Train growth lightly during the first summer. Pinch off unwanted new branches that don't conform to a branching tree structure. The goal is to develop a spreading but upright form and leave an open center. This can be repeated in the second and third summer as well.

3. Prune the following spring, when the tree is dormant, after the first year in the ground. Select three to four limbs spaced equally around the crotch of the tree to become your scaffold branches. They should be growing at about a 45-degree angle outwards. Then prune them back so they are each 2 to 3 feet long. If these branches have small twig growth, they can be left to provide shade or even early fruit.

4. Prune in the spring after the second year of growth. Remove any branches that are broken, dead, or diseased. Allow two or three lateral branches to develop from each scaffold branch. Prune back the new lateral branches to 2 to 3 feet in length. Again, leave any small twig growth. Otherwise prune lightly to allow the tree to continue to grow larger and stronger.

5. Prune in the spring of the third and fourth year similarly to the second year. The tree will begin to bear fruit. Thin crowded, excessively upright, and non-fruiting branches, keeping the tree's center open.

6. Prune for height if the tree is getting too tall. Remove the topmost branches to keep your tree at a convenient height for picking fruit.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find information for pruning peaches this will also work for nectarines, because peaches and nectarines are genetically similar.

• Ensure that light penetrates throughout the branches. Light is essential to good fruit production.

• Favor twig growth on the north and east sides of the tree, in order to provide shade for your scaffold branches.

• Wait to prune until after any chance of freezing temperatures.

• Do not make severe cuts, especially to a very young tree.

• Avoid letting the upper part of the tree shade out the lower, because this could cause lower parts of the tree to cease growing or bearing fruit.

References

• Washington State University Extension: Pruning Peaches & Nectarines
• University of Florida:Training and Pruning Florida Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums
• Clemson University: Pruning Peaches & Nectarines