Themost common pruning mistake that could ruin your fruit trees
Nicola Roy Multimedia content creator
13:15, 06 Apr 2026
Fruit trees aren’t always easy to look after(Image: Nickbeer via Getty Images)
Growing fruits and vegetables is one of the most satisfying jobs for gardeners. Britain’s climate is ideal for varieties such as apples, pears and plums, though growing them successfully and keeping them healthy isn’t always easy.
According to Gardeners’ World expert Alan Titchmarsh, proper pruning techniques are essential for encouraging trees to grow plenty of fruit. However, there’s one common error that catches many people out, potentially damaging trees without gardeners even realising.
Alan turned to YouTube to demonstrate the best approach, highlighting that crucial mistake to avoid.
He explained there are several reasons for pruning a tree – to create a more ‘appealing’ silhouette or eliminate pests and diseases. Promoting flowering and fruiting is another goal, and arguably the most important for many gardeners.
Most fruit trees need pruning during their dormant winter period, though others, such as cherries and other stone fruits, are best tackled in spring, reports the Express.
Pointing to a branch on the tree, Alan explained: “These buds haven’t yet broken. They haven’t yet started to emerge, it’s still dormant.”
“What are you trying to encourage? Flowers and fruit, and they occur on things called fruiting spurs.”
These tiny buds are going to produce fruit and flowers(Image: Getty)
These small buds will look ‘fat’ as they contain blossom, while on alternative, thinner stems, you’ll only find leaves growing. Alan noted: “These are the ones that you can cut back.”
You can trim these branches by at least half, keeping a more open canopy and ensuring proper air flow.
While it may be tempting to remove large portions of the tree, Alan warned against being overly ‘aggressive’ with pruning, as you risk accidentally cutting away the most vital blossoms.
Fruit trees can be tricky to take care of(Image: Getty)
He explained: “Preserve those little stubby bits that go all the way up the branches because they will produce your crop.”
Trees best left unpruned during spring include those that flower in springtime, and varieties that leak sap or become vulnerable to pests in April. You’ll still need to remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches when necessary, but more extensive pruning isn’t advisable.
According to experts at Home and Garden, some trees you should never prune in spring include:
DogwoodFlowering cherryOakJapanese mapleBirch
Comments are closed.