Pruning fruit trees

Although modern orchard pruning practices are relatively simple, far too many trees in Iowa orchards show evidences of under or over-pruning. In many instances they have been trained according to the open center method, which years ago was found unsuited to Iowa conditions. The chief value of such trees lies in the fact that they furnish good examples of incorrect training and pruning.

While thorough spraying, the use of hardy intermediate stocks, and soil practices which conserve moisture, humus and even the soil itself are all important, pruning must be considered an essential from the time the young tree is planted in the orchard until it dies of old age.