How to Prune a Patio Peach Tree

Prune your patio peach tree so that it produces a crop of healthy peaches.

Patio peach trees, also known as dwarf peach trees, need to be pruned to encourage new growth. Patio peach trees can be grown in small areas such as your porch, patio or balcony. The patio peach tree needs to be pruned to allow light to hit the canopy. You need to begin pruning a patio peach tree during the first and second years after you plant it. Once the buds begin to swell in the spring, you can begin pruning the peach tree.

Things You'll Need

• Tarp
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Place a tarp under the tree to catch the branches. You do not want to leave the branches lying around, especially if your tree is planted in the ground because it can spread disease.

2. Prune off suckers that are growing from the trunk and any established branches. The suckers will decrease the energy the tree needs to produce fruit, and they take away sunlight exposure. Cut the suckers off where they connect at the branches or trunk.

3. Cut off branches that cross or rub against each other at the tree trunk.

4. Remove diseased, cracked or dead branches. Cut them off where the next largest branch connects.

5. Prune the patio peach trees to create a desired shape and size. You can safely remove one-third of the branch length. Once the tree produces fruit, trim back the branches that produced the peach fruit the previous growing season.

6. Remove the tarp to discard the branches and other foliage. Train the branches by bending them in the direction that you want them to grow to keep the shape of the tree.

References

• Gardening Experts: Pruning Peach Trees: Tutorial on Pruning Dwarf & Regular Peach Trees
• University of California: Training and Pruning Fruit Trees

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish