How to prune a mature peach tree?

[foslyn]

Hi. I have a 20ish year old peach tree I would like to bring down to netting size. Each trunk is 4-5 ft high. Can this be done? Thankyou.

 

 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @foslyn. It's amazing to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about pruning a tree.

You can definitely bring it down to a more manageable height — it just takes a bit of care. I’d recommend using a pole pruner to get up to those higher branches safely and cleanly. It’s the simplest way to reach without needing to climb, especially on an older tree like yours.

You’ll want to take it down gradually rather than cutting huge chunks all at once, aiming to thin and shape the tree so it’s open and airy while keeping it within netting height. If you’re unsure where to start, focus on removing any dead wood first, then bring down the main branches by cutting just above a healthy outward-facing bud.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[JacobZ]

Hi @foslyn,

I just thought it would be worthwhile mentioning that the best time to prune a peach tree is late winter to early spring, just before the buds start to swell, but after the risk of heavy frost has mostly passed.

If you prune too early in winter, the cuts can be more exposed to cold damage. If you prune too late, after growth starts, you risk removing too many flower buds and reducing your fruit crop.

In most parts of Australia and New Zealand, July to early August is about right, but it depends a little on your local climate. Aim to prune once the morning frosts have stopped consistently.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[foslyn]

Thankyou for the advice. Its all helpful.

As I said in the pictures the main trunks are about 4-5 ft each. Am I able to cut the trunks so the shoots are much lower? I understand it might be one at a time to lessen the stress. 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @foslyn,

It's one thing to cut back the shoots while leaving healthy buds to regrow from, but cutting the main trunks down is a much more intensive step and can stress the tree significantly. Let me tag @Noelle, our resident horticulturalist, to get her expert advice on whether that kind of hard pruning is suitable in this case and how best to approach it if so. 

Mitchell

[Noelle]

Hi @foslyn 

Someone at some stage has already pollarded the tree back to its main branches, which has resulted in a proliferation of tall, much spindlier upright branches. This is extreme pruning and not the desired method if you want it to produce fruit!  It could be done once every 10 years or so if absolutely necessary but isn't something y6ou should be doing routinely on a regular basis. Not only does severe pruning encourage massive regrowth, but you also run the risk of bacterial diseases like gummosis entering the tree and weakening it. Gummosis results in 'bleeding' of sap from cut surfaces and may result in death of the tree unless it it controlled with appropriate chemicals.

Mitchell's original reply re reducing the height of the very tall branches and Jacob's additional recommendations are the best approach if you want5 to retain the tree, and potentially have a decent crop of fruit from it.