Do your fruit trees fruit from new or old wood?
Many clients have pruned their pip and stone fruit tree only to find the following year they have no fruit. This is because it is imperative to know where your tree produces fruit from.
Fruit trees exhibit different fruiting habits depending on whether they produce fruit on new wood (current season’s growth) or old wood (previous season’s growth or older branches). Here’s a general breakdown of common fruit trees categorized by their fruiting habits.
Fruit Trees That Produce Fruit on New Wood:
- Peaches typically bear fruit on the current season’s growth, particularly on the tips of branches.
- Nectarines also produce fruit on new wood, similar to peaches.
- Plums Some plum varieties, especially Japanese plums, produce fruit on new wood. They often fruit on the current season’s growth. They are generally vigorous and require annual pruning
- Apricots commonly bear fruit on new wood, especially on branches that have grown during the current season.
- Fig Trees produce fruit on both new and old wood. They often bear fruit on the current season’s growth, as well as on older branches and even on the main trunk.
- Persimmons Certain persimmon varieties produce fruit on new wood. They typically fruit on the tips of young branches that have grown during the current growing season.
Fruit Trees That Produce Fruit on Old Wood:
- Apple Trees Apple trees primarily produce fruit on short spurs, and stubby branches that develop on older wood. These spurs can continue to bear fruit for several years.
- Pear Trees Pear trees also produce fruit on spurs, similar to apples. They bear fruit on older wood, particularly on the short, fruiting spurs.
- Sweet Cherry Trees: Sweet cherry trees generally produce fruit on spurs, although some cultivars may exhibit a combination of fruiting habits, with some fruiting on new wood and others on older spurs.
- European plum Trees. These plum varieties generally fruit on older wood spurs.
Understanding the fruiting habits of different fruit trees is important for proper pruning, and maximizing fruit production while minimizing removing potential fruiting sites.
Remeber to strive for the vase like shape to allow plenty of airflow and light to facilitate ripening of your fruit.