Remove vigorous upright shoots from each scaffold.
} Apr 25, The goal when pruning peach trees is to remove old, slow growing, non-fruitful shoots and leave 1-year-old, 18 to 24 inch ( cm.) red bearing shoots. About 40% of the tree should be pruned out annually.
The first step is to remove all rootstock suckers and water sprouts from the lower three feet of the stumplopping.clubted Reading Time: 3 mins. Because of this, you do not need to prune them again at planting time.
The only pruning necessary at planting time would be to remove any broken or damaged branches and roots. Plan to prune your peach trees every year during their dormant season. In Zone 6 and north, you should wait until late winter. The cut areas are less susceptible to bug infestation in the early spring. Without leaves and blossoms, you can see easily see the shape of the peach tree.
The direction of the tree needs to be set before starting its growth spurt. Pruning the peach trees in the winter can reduce the trees cold-hardiness.