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To calculate the desired number of shoots per tree, simply divide the desired number of shoots by the number of trees per acre.įor example, for large fruited cultivars with tree density of 150 trees per acre, retain 167 shoots per tree, and four fruit per shoot to produce 100,200 fruit per acre. The optimum number of fruit per acre depends on the cultivar and availability of irrigation.įor cultivars that tend to produce small fruit, an acre will support about 45,000 fruit, which would require 11,250 shoots if the fruit are thin to four fruit per shoot.įor cultivars with medium fruit size, a reasonable target crop load is 70,000 fruit on 17,500 shoots per acre.įor large fruited cultivars, the target is 100,000 fruit on 25,000 shoots per acre. The number of fruit per acre is more critical for fruit size than the distance between fruit. Pruning is also a tool for managing crop load. Summer pruning is performed on newly planted trees to select scaffold branches on trees and to direct the growth of young scaffold branches.įor fruiting aged trees, removing upright and vigorous shoots in June and July will reduce shading to maintain fruiting wood in the canopy interior. Therefore, avoid pruning before late February and before predicted low temperatures. Pruning temporarily reduces a tree's tolerance to low temperatures. If light becomes limited, the fruiting zone will move higher above the ground with little fruiting in the lower portion of the tree.īoth dormant and summer pruning are used to maintain optimum light conditions within a tree canopy.ĭormant pruning is used to remove upright and vigorous shoots that shade the tree interior to limit the size of the tree and to remove excess fruiting shoots. The ring shaped fruiting zone is about four feet wide and four feet deep. The fruiting zone of an open center tree can be thought of as a doughnut supported by scaffold branches. Light penetrates only about three or four feet into the tree canopy.

Leaves intercept light and the biochemical reaction, called photosynthesis, light energy is used to produce carbohydrates that are used for growth of all parts of the tree.

This more uniform architecture is adaptable to tighter in row tree spacings, which can result in improved yields for the first several years and increased opportunities for mechanization.

The natural tree form of a standard type peach tree is a vase shape making it easy to train trees to an open center system with three or four primary scaffold branches.Ī modification of the vase is a V shape with two to four scaffold branches. However, with judicious pruning, standard trees can be maintained at a height of seven or eight feet. The lack of suitable dwarfing rootstocks limits the extent of orchard intensification.

Peach trees are pruned to maintain tree size and shape and to help manage light and crop load.