Where are you located? That has a lot to do with what you'll do.
John S
PDX OR

Flyer, is anyone in your neighborhood growing these varieties of fruit trees? I suspect they are, but neighbors are a good source or indicator of what will do good in your area. I’ve learned a lot on walks, tours and bike rides!

“I've read and talked to a few different sources and found widely varying opinions on everything from pruning to using compost when planting. Some say to use a 50/50 soil/compost backfill and others say use only soil and no additional amendments.” – I’d agree with both… if your soil's decent, no use adding much else, they’re stuck in it anyway; if it’s not, you can occasionally create a ‘pot condition’ where the roots will back away from smooth-cut clay sides, or circle around looking for the easy nutrients, as opposed to fanning out. The roots will generally compete with the a lawn, heading toward the richer topsoil. …looks like they’re already planted!

“Pruning advice ranged from a fruit farm guy said do no pruning the first yr to another source recommending I initially cut back to a 2-3' main leader (obviously can't do this with a multi-variety)...?!?!?!” -- I’d side with the ‘farm guy,’ what ever you do, take the branch back to the ‘trunk.’ Stubbing cuts are worthless at this age.

“I was told to soak them in a bucket of water for a few days to soak up water before planting as well. What do you do when you transplant fruit trees?” – I lay mine in the creek until I finish digging the hole, no need for days worth. And give them a good soaking after planting; just getting their roots in the cool ground is likely all they need this time of year…

Pruning – good questions! Your only fear is there not being enough energy to feed the existing limbs; and a concern to establish its framework.

Four-way pear: (I’d) leave basically it alone. Pears shoot for the moon – straight up! The only cut I’d make would be to the ‘central leader.’ I’d cut the leader just above a decent limb heading the direction you’d like or need a limb. The ‘base tree’ is generally more vigorous than the grafted varieties, so curb it - and protect them. You will want to spread the limbs next winter; but with the grafts (limbs) so close to the ground – you’ll need enough height to form a decent tree. Most of us no longer mess with multi-grafted trees; just buy a single variety, establish decent limbs, then add by grafting whatever else you’d like or need to pollinate…

That is one of the best looking ‘five-way’ apple trees I’ve ever seen! Do not substantially shorten any of its limbs! Do snip their ‘terminal’ or tip buds – that will force them to ‘beef up’ some, as opposed to lengthening. For the couple of limbs that have multiple shoots, remove those to one – the one you want to remain the limb. Do not shorten that limb, other than the suggested tip removal. – but take the additional shoots clean off back to the ‘limb’ you leave.

This is a beautiful tree! …I obviously can’t get over it… I’d recommend mulching and periodically deep watering it while watching it very closely this summer. Instead of ‘spraying,’ I’d simply ‘rub-out’ any bugs, and feed it something mild if you’re so inclined… Once it’s established you’ll have a magnificent apple tree.

French Prune: Remember, the limbs will remain at the height you leave them; if you want a tree you can ‘step into,’ that may work, if you want a tree you can mow around, you may want the limbs up higher… You’ve always the option of leaving a central leader, thinning out some of the ‘main limbs,’ and heading the new ‘leader growth’ next winter to ‘reestablish’ a new ‘swirl’ of limbs – at a higher level. To do that, I’d shorten the lower limbs, leaving most for collecting nutrients for ‘next years’ push. …If you’re OK with lower limbs – I’d cut at the star – leaving everything below “D” and not shortening any of the remaining branches.

Apricot: I’d ‘tip snip’ the ‘branches’ and let it grow another year in height before ‘heading’ that growth to create its future branch structure. Or, clip at “C” – if you’d like your branches extremely low to the ground. Any deer?

Nectarine: “E” with little to no ‘branch trimming.’ Keep in mind, low branches rarely amount to much – they’re not going to take over the tree, in fact, they’re doomed. Only the ‘largest’ of branches will survive – so those are the ones to watch. Again, stubbing them to “6 inches” will only set them back, likely stunting the entire tree. They are your future! If you want them higher up, shorten them some and allow a central leader to gain height…

I think you’ve got it – got a good deal – and your trees are in good hands – keep us posted! …and if you’ve any questions, ask. This is the most critical and under-ratted time in a trees life; I’ve run across more problems from people having assumed they’d ‘prune the tree’ when it was older than anything other than out-right neglect. The main idea of those suggesting you severely prune these new trees is to balance out their root structure (with a percentage of it lost) to the remaining structure above. But you’re not ‘lining out’ a hundred of them, you’re there to feed and nurture them… So have at it

“I'd thought I could raise the height of my multi-tree grafted limbs by allowing the central leader to grow. I figured the other limbs would "rise" as the central leader rose up but it sounds like I'm stuck with whatever level those grafted branches are currently set at.” – Don’t feel bad… I’d thought the same thing twenty-something years ago when planting several (my first) pear and apple trees. It’s not too big a deal… you’ll eventually treat the limbs like multipal ‘trunks,’ and, you can step right up into the tree. Pruned to a vase shape, I prune them from inside that vase – and they’ll ‘beef up’ to hold any sized crop.

“Pear: "You will want to spread the limbs next winter; but with the grafts (limbs) so close to the ground – you’ll need enough height to form a decent tree." -- How would you see me getting that extra height you mentioned iot form a decent tree?”

As mentioned, leave its existing branches alone; again, ‘tip-pinching’ the ‘terminal buds’ will ‘beef up’ the limbs as it takes awhile to establish ‘new ones.’ I’d have little concern for the remaining buds direction, though ‘out’ is better than ‘in.’ It, like the ‘leader’ you’d be imitating, will push out several shoots to extend that ‘branches’ length… You can chose to leave one or all when you prune and train next February – while spreading all its limbs slightly.

"Apple: Thanks for the compliments irt the tree (the tree thanks you as well). Do you like this one better than the pear because the grafted limbs are higher off the ground?" – Yes! …as well as its balanced limb size and locations – and half price!

“So I'm still making a terminal cut, but only a few inches from the "tips" correct? I thought sniping the terminal buds created more terminal buds but I guess it makes the limbs get thicker ("beef up") right?” -- Same as the pear! The terminal snipping keeps that limb from simply taking off from where it stopped, and giving you one long and skinny ‘limb’ that will bend over with the weight of its first crop. Snipping the tip allows for growth along the entire limb; eventually it will force the top 2 to 4 buds to extend. From those you may choose ‘one’ to continue on next year by substantially shortening the others; or tip-snip them all – if you like the overall height and shape. Winter heading, when pruning, does the same thing… It’s an amazing process, every year there’s likely ten times as many such ‘heading cuts.’ But, you’ve eventually got a strong and productive tree!

“For the couple of limbs that have multiple shoots, remove those to one – the one you want to remain the limb. Do not shorten that limb, other than the suggested tip removal. – but take the additional shoots clean off back to the ‘limb’ you leave." "Are you talking about removing "all" the tip buds or just some of them? I thought all the branches need some of their tips (assuming I'm thinking of the right tips) to generate energy for the respective branch and tree overall?” -- There appear to be several apple limbs with ‘branches.’ To help offset the loss of roots, it would be helpful to remove those now (as they’ll simply crowed this well shaped tree). You’d cut them clean off – right from the ‘limb’ they’re growing off/from. You will leave that limb, and like the rest, each will now be one-straight-shoot, one year old. You may then ‘tip-snip’ each of those limbs, as described above.

Prune: “How tall do you usually start your permanent growth limbs on open center trees?” – from belly-button to chest height, for me!

I prune all my trees to ‘open vase’ shaped, and always advise that… If you’re going for a ‘central leader,’ that’s a different animal… That’s likely where the other advice you’d received had came from; I should have clarified that in my first post, but I was tired… There’s a multitude of arguments over leader vs. vase, and I’d hate to get them started. I know what’s worked for me, and what most people end up with, and have been on too many ‘orchard tours’ to count, so I shape my trees to an open vase. I only know of one fellow, an HOS member who I’m afraid has passed away, who methodically pruned his trees (primarily, if not exclusively apple trees) to central leaders. …so, if you’re going for a center leader, on any of these trees, my advice won’t work! Shortening the first ‘whirl’ of limbs while choosing the height of the next, by cutting the leader just above it, is the method…

…Woops, thought we’d veered – I’m answering as I read! OK, you’re still with me on the vase shape… but I’ll leave that spiel on the central leader, in case you’re interested.

“If I can just "keep" a central leader that's already in place and allow it to grow (and thicken) for another year (at which time I could pick the final 'swirl' of 4 branches and make a heading cut to the leader (around 4-5' or so correct?) then I'd probably do that for all the single variety trees. Btw, limbs & branches are used interchangeably to mean the same thing right?” – You’ve got it. …and I’d likely do the same. And yes, I’m calling branches off the trunk ‘limbs,’ all be they one year old ‘limbs,’ or ‘branches.’

“Apricot: Deer-Ohh Yea... I'm in the middle of putting up a fence for the entire garden area but there are just too many things on my darn list now so I'm using temp barriers” – Make sure you get them protected! Those trees can’t afford to lose any nutrients in the form of leaves. Just this year I watched two beautiful apple trees (of which I’d grafted on multiple varieties onto specimens nearly as perfect as your apple) only to find my friend had set them out without a cage and the deer removed the first growth from those grafts! Made me ill… the ‘good thing’ was such ‘big limbs’ had been removed to splice on the grafted wood (scions) that the tree had some extra ‘juice’ to attempt a recovery. He’s now got it caged … kinda, using a lattice work of weaved pruning wood, for which I suggested MORE! Fence them quick, deer are aggressive and ruthless

“I don't know that I'd necessarily like really low branches but would they be just as productive as higher branches? If so, it'd sure make picking easier I guess?” – Hopefully answered above…

Nectarine: Actually, I’ve seen some very successful peach and nectarine orchards with the limbs very close to the ground. Peaches and nectarines are fairly short lived and prone to many diseases. It’s often best to ‘leave them alone.’ It appears it’s ‘sunny side’ has some well developed limbs, where as the ‘back side’ are spindly. I’d not bother attempting to ‘raise’ the limb height, over time… They’re not ‘that low.’ I’d make my ‘leader’ or ‘trunk’ heading cut at the bottom of your ‘mark.’ That would appear to leave five ‘limbs,’ at a reasonable height. The ‘break’ would concern me some, but I think it’s more important to maintain a balance among the limb sizes. If it were to heal, it would remain a dominate limb.

Which reminds me; you want as even growth with your ‘limbs’ as possible; if any one limb is too vigorous – it will become the next ‘leader.’ I stay on those ‘dominant limbs,’ pinching out their leaders, even bending them some to slow them up.

Love the cage! That’s what it takes. Your trees appear in good hands, some day you’ll likely be giving the advice " title="Wink" />

Last things first: “It's raining today, does it make a difference irt fungas/infection/etc. probability if pruning is done in wet weather or dry?” – Don’t prune in the rain, not this time of the year; especially on that nectarine! …they’re new, and just beginning to push their juice … in fact, extra limbs might cause ‘extra pull’ – at least for a week or so… So prune when you get a dry chance, enough for the cuts to dry and begin to seal (which should happen fast).

“I think your talking about leaving the extravagant, persuasive pro central leader talk for someone else?” -- Yes… if anyone else thinks that’s a better way to go, they can describe it… Just wanted to ‘explain’ why and where that ‘conflicting’ info you’d been getting may have come from. …especially when talking with commercial growers like “Van Well in Wenatchee.”

Peach: “so the spindly ones are on the sunny side. I did on purpose to give the weak ones more sun so they might "catch up" to the stronger limbs” – Excellent! Always put your ‘weakest’ side toward the sun, thus developing those ‘thinner limbs.’ And as mentioned, keep an eye on that vigorous limb so it doesn’t ‘sap the strength’ from the others; if necessary, bend it out slightly – that can slow it down. And, pinch off any ‘excess’ shoots that may develop on it; always keeping the ‘eventual tree’ in mind.

“…let all 4 of them go until next spring in order to: a) allow all of them to generate more energy for the tree and b) allow time to verify that all 4 of those spindly limbs survive (i.e. I'd hate to take one off only to find that one of the remaining limbs died between now and next yr…” -- I can ‘hear’ several ‘old-timers’ snickering… Let’s call what you wrote above - ‘your answer.’ I’d leave them all, they’ll provide nutrients and give you a choice in the future. I’ve seen many new trees sheered to …not much, as someone thought whatever they left would take over. When in reality, they’d be lucky if it survived the season. And, there’s no reason to open up ‘portholes’ of infection along a tree’s trunk – especially a nectarine!

Nectarine: “Don't bother trying to raise the limb height because I'd be wasting some of their already short lives just trying to regrow new limbs correct? What's the typical lifespan I should expect? 10yrs or less than that?” – I’d say they’ll last 25 to 30 years; nectarines less than peaches …and that’s if you can get them past 4 years… That would be better than I’ve done with any peach tree; and my nectarine didn’t last the winter of it’s fall planting – though that was more a Stark Brother’s mistake, for which I was ‘reimbursed.’ I wouldn’t bother ‘raising the limbs’ unless you need them higher… It, in my book, would entail cutting just above the ‘one’ strongest limb; aiming, or tying it straight up, leaving a ‘crook’ in the trunk, as you waited to ‘head it’ next winter … to force future limbs. I’ve got a fun photo of an old guy taking a rest from pruning while sitting in the crotch of a peach tree, at about the same ‘limb height’ as yours… I’d leave them for that reason alone!

‘me’: “Which reminds me; you want as even growth with your ‘limbs’ as possible; if any one limb is too vigorous – it will become the next ‘leader.’ I stay on those ‘dominant limbs,’ pinching out their leaders, even bending them some to slow them up.”

You: “So, for example, on the nectarine (which will have 1 vigorous and 3 spindly limbs): I can even the branches out by cutting off most of the growth that comes off the vigorous one correct? Would I bend it by hanging a small rock on it or by somehow bending it horizontally?”

I tried to explain that above. And the best way to ‘spread,’ or lower a vigorous limb is to tie it to a stationary object below – or to stable fencing or posts... Hanging things is inconsistent; as the limb leafs out, the additional weight bends it over too much. ‘Spreader-sticks’ work well; with notches cut in each side and some ‘padding’ to keep them from gouging the bark. Just be careful when ‘spreading’ you don’t snap off the entire limb! I’ve done it – and it hurts!

“Is there any way to "accelerate" the weaker limbs while trying to slow the vigorus one? At first blush that would seem difficult to me since any compost, or other ammendments I add will help the entire tree but maybe you have a method?” – No, you can only slow the ‘bigger one.’

“After your next reply I'll have to go out and actually "make" my first nervous cuts... I'm sure they'll be less 'emotionally' difficult to make as time goes by (one can hope).” – One of the most exciting things I have the privelidge to do is make those very cuts for people I know. They’ve come to trust my judgment, and though they cringe, I smile. Because I know what ‘I’m creating,’ and what would transpire if no one intervened… It’s always a high to be turned loose like that! Some trees don’t look like much afterward, but you can only work with what you’ve got. But I’ve never had a complaint.

As mentioned, one of the most overlooked aspects of home orcharding must be the initial pruning and training necessary at planting. One reason I’ve made the effort to describe it to you is so I don’t have to do it again! With your excellent photos, and ability to comprehend my answers, I’m hopping this can/will become a resource for others. It would be great if you updated your photes every year! Just add them to this thread; it would keep it alive and on top, and keep me from repeating myself

“do you have any favorites irt flavor &/or disease & pest resistance?” -- That’s where you can use some more advice… I expect someone will check in (if they find it – here, let me make it ‘big!’)

“Thanks again!” …can’t help but think I’m speaking to an ‘earlier version’ of myself! You’re welcome –just keep those future pics in mind. The HOS really helped me, twenty-five years ago! …feels like I’m just doing the same…

“Bi-Polar + Teddy Bear = Polar Bear” – ah, the Hunter " title="Wink" />