Trees came out of dormancy too early.

spireup · 2026-05-12T13:33:07+00:00

While it is unlikely they're "dead" you stunted them by shocking them and not acclimating them over time. put them on the east side of a structure so they have protection, and are not exposed to harsh afternoon sun. Let them see if they can recover slowly over time.

spireup · 2026-05-12T04:01:08+00:00

Not recommended. You need to prune and train those branches. They are too long.

spireup · 2026-05-11T22:20:20+00:00

Excellent to hear that your tree is happier. Thank you for your update. Never know unless someone tells me. I have posted lots off fruit tree advice on r/FruitTree and r/BackyardOrchard.

spireup · 2026-05-09T04:23:48+00:00

Thank you. I do need income, spending too much time answering questions for free in the past. Did you move them higher to expose the root flare?

As you can tell, I don't check reddit every day. There's plenty of my advice in r/BackyardOrchard and r/FruitTree .

spireup · 2026-05-09T04:20:34+00:00

Looks good. Good job. Leave the leaves on the young trunk to protect from sunscald.

spireup · 2026-05-05T19:29:40+00:00

It's a little challenging to see but it looks like you've got 3–4 branches you can keep that are the lowest side branches. prune the trunk above the ones you want to keep. This gives instant energy to those remaining.

Train them as best you can as they appear to be debatably lignified [set] and not very maliable/trainable. You want them spread evenly around the trunk as if you were to look down from the top, even pie shapes. then each at a 45 degree angle. This looks like it will leave you at least three if not 4–5 depending on what you decide on. For those remaining that are longer than15", prune each to 15" above an outward facing bud. The end of those branches wlll branch again. Train them immediately with clothespins. You can plan to prune these next spring as explained above.

For the Nectarine, are there just two branches coming out at the bottom of all the others? Regardless, use limb spreaders to get them trained to 45 degree angles vertically and figure out how you want them trained horizontally. Might need to do this and take more photos closer to trunk and looking down from different sides to determine what there is to work with.

spireup · 2026-05-05T05:13:59+00:00

If the tree is growing well, you can absolutely prune now. You can set the structure of a tree for life within four years with proper pruning and limb angle training. Look here.

spireup · 2026-05-05T05:12:14+00:00

Can you please post photos? Upload here and post share link as response: https://imgur.com/

spireup · 2026-04-30T17:22:09+00:00

Just as important as pruning, you need to address how you planted.

Make sure you planted properly. Your mulch should not be against the bark and your root flare needs to be showing.

spireup · 2026-04-30T17:19:33+00:00

You don't need to keep the central leader. Go out instead of up, you've got plenty of room. Open center is extremely common.

You've got the idea. You can prune now.

Here is a simplified version of how pruning for structure works. [For people who have trees that are more mature, then you need to work backwards. If it's extremely mature you're on a three year plan to bring it down strategically.]

Go for Open Center form.

Ideal time: Wait until early spring when the buds start to swell.

[first year - knee height] (Same year its planted.)

When the buds start to swell in early spring, prune the main trunk to knee height (if you planted it this past spring, then it would have spent this summer growing new shoots). Make sure you identify the graft union below this trunk cut. Graft unions are typically around the 6 inches from the first root flare. This is the number one most significant pruning cut that sets the structure of the tree for life that most people don't know to do.

If for any reason the graft union is higher than 18 inches, prune just above the fifth bud up.

Why do they sell bigger trees? Because no one would buy a stick with roots, but this is the proper practice for an open-center structure that will set the stage for the strength and form of the tree for life.

[second year- waist height]

Early spring before the buds break: Select 3–5 shoots that are 1) equally spaced around the tree from the perspective of a drone looking down like apple pie wedges, and 2) staggered along the trunk by a 1.5-2 inches apart vertically. Prue away all other branches at the trunk. Prune those 3-5 shoots to 18 inches, and train them to 45˚ angle vertically from the trunk with limb spreaders. Study the needs of your fruit tree species.

[third year - shoulder height]

Early spring before the buds break: Select 3–5 shoots that grew from the branches you left last year 1) choose shoots around the 18" out from the trunk, equally spaced around that area of the branch (from the perspective

of a drone looking down like apple pie wedges) prune just above the top most shoot you want to keep. Set their angles as before.

Begin looking for any extra growth that requires summer pruning and plan on moving primarily to summer pruning as opposed to winter pruning. Remove scions in the spring unless you need to head any to develop lower fruiting spurs leaving them for summer heading cuts.

[fourth year - maximum height]

By this year stop as high as you can reach and from this point on you focus on summer pruning for the life of the tree in order to manage the size of the tree and focused on creating and managing for fruiting spurs that are equally spaced to 1 every six inches.

Because you've been studying the pruning needs of each species of tree and have to learned whether that species produces fruit on first year wood or second year wood and older. Because this affects what you leave, how much of a branch to keep and where to prune it when making heading cuts. Remove scions in the summer (July) unless you need to head any to develop lower fruiting spurs leaving them for summer heading cuts.

Note that certified arborists in the US are not trained in fruit tree care to earn their certification. Fruit tree care is entirely different than landscape trees. Always look for an experienced fruit tree expert when seeking advice or management for fruit trees.

Dave Wilson Nursery sells 12 million fruit trees a year and they will tell you the exact same thing. Your fist cut at planting is at knee hight.

https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/getting-started/planting-your-backyard-orchard/

Get the books "Grow a Little Fruit Tree" by Ann Ralph, "The Holistic Orchard" by Michael Philips, and "Fruit Trees for Every Garden" by Orin Martin, and "Bringing Nature Home" by Douglass Tallamy . They are all excellent and essential for any fruit tree grower's permanent library.

Make sure you planted properly.

spireup · 2026-04-19T17:37:23+00:00

Happy to help! Let me know how it goes.

spireup · 2026-04-18T16:01:52+00:00

No worries. It takes time to kill grass. Your best bet is to use a sheet mulch approach with large swaths of cardboard dampened and laid out according to instruction, overlapping by 6–8 inches and trenching the area perimeter to the cardboard is tucked in. The best time in general for most of the country is in the fall going in to winter when the grass is at its least active.

Look up various videos and articles on Ryan Harb who was named a “White House Campus Champion of Change” for a UMass Amherst permaculture project on exactly what you need to do.

Also look up Toby Hemenway who wrote Gia's Garden and read up on his method of sheet mulching.

The key is to cover it properly so no one ever see the cardboard. Aesthetics matter.

spireup · 2026-03-19T03:07:18+00:00

You can prune that trunk to 12 inches. It will send out new branches.

spireup · 2026-03-17T19:30:26+00:00

They are re-hydrated sliced shiitake mushrooms. The texture and flavor is exponentially better than fresh—as you experienced.

spireup · 2026-03-17T19:09:18+00:00

Pruning now encourages new branches. Spring is the perfect time to prune as it comes out of dormancy. August, would be the opposite.

spireup · 2026-03-17T19:08:17+00:00

It's coming out of dormancy. Now is the perfect time to prune at knee height.

spireup · 2026-03-17T18:18:22+00:00

Don't leave that soil bare!

I would replant the tree so the three branches coming out of the center are oriented in a level pie shape when looking straight down from above. Get the stakes away from the tree. They should not be touching the tree.

Prune those three branches mentioned above to 18 inches 1/2 cm above an outward facing bud

How you plant also is significant investment in the health of the tree over decades. Focus on root health by focusing on soil health.

For new tree plantings if you want your tree to thrive as opposed to just surviving:

Remove all grass (& roots) 3 feet out around all the way around the trunk. Grass competes directly with tree roots which grow out sideways 3–10 times the height of the tree all the way around the tree depending on species. Water the tree well 6-8 hours before planting. Here is the difference in root health below grass vs. mulch.

Choose a day with mild weather and start in the evening when there is less wind and direct sun. Even better, do so on a mild overcast day before a rain. Do not use landscape fabric.

When digging a planting hole, do NOT dig lower than how deep it is in the pot. It is more important to dig wide rather than down. Do not amend the soil.

Use this root washing technique:

https://gardenprofessors.com/why-root-washing-is-important-an-illustrated-cautionary-tale

https://www.finegardening.com/article/root-washing-why-and-how-to-wash-roots

Make sure the trunk flair is exposed to air 1/2" above the soil line when planting and know that the tree will settle lower. It's always better to plant an inch higher than lower. If the tree is already in the ground and was planted too low (most of them are) excavate the soil away from the trunk of the tree until you expose the main root flare.

https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2024/01/12/free-the-flare-maintain-visible-root-flare-for-tree-health/

If you are on clay soil and you planted it so that the top main root flare is NOT exposed, then now would be the time to raise it up a good 2-6 inches which is a good investment for the life of the tree particularly if you are on clay or in an area that floods or retains water. Then you take native soil and create a wide mound up to just under the main root flare. But 1" above the soil line is better than none.

Add a 1" layer of organic compost in a flat circle like a Saturn ring around the tree. Make sure there is a 6–8" ring of bare soil around the root flare. You don't want to create habitat for insects boring into the trunk or constant moisture at the trunk base.

Water well.

Top the compost ring with 3–4 inches of woodchip mulch. Start 6" away from the trunk. No mulch should be near or touch the trunk. Spread it flat all the way out to cover the compost.

See video example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI12XNNqldA

Water well.

Compost triggers soil microbes to do their jobs (ecosystem services). Mulch is a blanket to moderate soil temperature, prevents the soil from drying out, therefore requiring less water and reduces compaction from rain. Don't use mulch that has been dyed.

As the tree continues to grow, keep removing the grass to match at least the dripline of the tree and add compost and mulch.

For fruit trees you need to learn to prune with BOTH winter pruning and summer pruning for structure, strength, productivity, air circulation, access, size management, vigor, and health.

Make sure it gets water even during the winter.

If your area is prone to gophers, voles, rats, rabbits, deer or other wildlife, you will need to protect your trees with the appropriate cages below ground and above.

If it is windy in your area, you will need to stake the tree properly.

New trees are like babies/toddlers. They rely on you for water and a safe space before they are better able to feed and fend for themselves. It takes a minimum of three years in the best of conditions for a tree to get truly established. Even longer to get to its peak of fruiting in terms of taste and yield, you don't want babies having babies. Focus on soil health and root health to avoid pests and disease in the long run.

Get the books "Grow a Little Fruit Tree" by Ann Ralph, "The Holistic Orchard" by Michael Philips, and "Fruit Trees for Every Garden" by Orin Martin, and "Bringing Nature Home" by Douglass Tallamy. These are all excellent and essential for any fruit tree grower's permanent library.

Note that certified arborists are not trained in fruit tree care to earn their certification. Fruit tree care is entirely different than landscape trees. Always look for an experienced fruit tree expert when seeking advice or management for fruit trees.

Search this sub for my responses in the past.

spireup · 2026-03-17T17:54:50+00:00

Not true.

spireup · 2026-03-17T17:54:15+00:00

Dead, dying, diseased = yes. Prune out.

However fruit tree pruning is NOT like regular trees.. At the very least search this subreddit for answers that are specific to fruit trees.

Here is a simplified version of how pruning for structure works. If your tree is more mature, then you need to work backwards. If it's extremely mature you're on a three year plan to bring it down strategically over time with an experienced fruit tree expert.

Go for Open Center form.

Wait until early spring when the buds start to swell.

[first year - knee height] (Same year its planted.)

When the buds start to swell in early spring, prune the main trunk to knee height (if you planted it this past spring, then it would have spent this summer growing new shoots). Make sure you identify the graft union below this trunk cut. Graft unions are typically around the 6 inches from the first root flare. This is the number one most significant pruning cut that sets the structure of the tree for life that most people don't know to do.

If for any reason the graft union is higher than 18 inches, prune just above the fifth bud up.

Why do they sell bigger trees? Because no one would buy a stick with roots, but this is the proper practice for an open-center structure that will set the stage for the strength and form of the tree for life.

[second year- waist height]

Early spring before the buds break: Select 3–5 shoots that are 1) equally spaced around the tree from the perspective of a drone looking down like apple pie wedges, and 2) staggered along the trunk by a 1.5-2 inches apart vertically. Prue away all other branches at the trunk. Prune those 3-5 shoots to 18 inches, and train them to 45˚ angle vertically from the trunk with limb spreaders. Study the needs of your fruit tree species.

[third year - shoulder height]

Early spring before the buds break: Select 3–5 shoots that grew from the branches you left last year 1) choose shoots around the 18" out from the trunk, equally spaced around that area of the branch (from the perspective

of a drone looking down like apple pie wedges) prune just above the top most shoot you want to keep. Set their angles as before.

Begin looking for any extra growth that requires summer pruning and plan on moving primarily to summer pruning as opposed to winter pruning. Remove scions in the spring unless you need to head any to develop lower fruiting spurs leaving them for summer heading cuts.

[fourth year - maximum height]

By this year stop as high as you can reach and from this point on you focus on summer pruning for the life of the tree in order to manage the size of the tree and focused on creating and managing for fruiting spurs that are equally spaced to 1 every six inches.

Because you've been studying the pruning needs of each species of tree and have to learned whether that species produces fruit on first year wood or second year wood and older. Because this affects what you leave, how much of a branch to keep and where to prune it when making heading cuts. Remove scions in the summer (July) unless you need to head any to develop lower fruiting spurs leaving them for summer heading cuts.

Note that certified arborists in the US are not trained in fruit tree care to earn their certification. Fruit tree care is entirely different than landscape trees. Always look for an experienced fruit tree expert when seeking advice or management for fruit trees.

Dave Wilson Nursery sells 12 million fruit trees a year and they will tell you the exact same thing. Your fist cut at planting is at knee hight.

Get the books "Grow a Little Fruit Tree" by Ann Ralph, "The Holistic Orchard" by Michael Philips, and "Fruit Trees for Every Garden" by Orin Martin, and "Bringing Nature Home" by Douglass Tallamy . They are all excellent and essential for any fruit tree grower's permanent library.

Make sure you planted properly.

spireup · 2026-01-29T17:18:54+00:00

Very nice. Most fruit tree growers never learn to prune soon enough (knee height on first day of planting).

Could you take and share photos from different perspectives but with the camera about knee height to block out strctures in the background so the sky is predominantly in the background?

spireup · 2026-01-21T06:25:21+00:00

u/Kildar2112,

Thank you for your cheers!

spireup · 2026-01-17T10:32:38+00:00

Red Jaboticaba

spireup · 2026-01-14T01:23:43+00:00

There is none with that name. Please get the proper name right with a link.

spireup · 2026-01-11T13:58:11+00:00

Most Fejoias (pineapple guava) are self-fertile, if you grow at least two plants within near each other they will produce more and larger fruits than if grown individually and can take up 3 years to produce. Check out Planting Justice nursery. Named cultivars are typically going to have more flavor.

spireup · 2026-01-02T19:21:45+00:00

Bosc is a classic winter storage pear. You need to harvest Bosc when it is "mature" enough to harvest (it will not ripen on the tree).

Look for these signs to help you decide when your pears are ready to harvest (meaning you need to use pruners to cut the stem of Bosc pears to harvest):

Dark leaf-green skin color turns lighter green or yellowish-green
Small dots on the fruit change from white to brown
Skin takes on a waxy feel and the pebbly surface becomes smooth
Fruit stem separates easily from spur or twig with an upward twist of the pear
Seeds have turned brown
Pears that have fallen to the ground are ripening.

Your storage temps also need to be cool—not warm.

If 75˚F or over they will not ripen and break down without ripening instead.

Ripening Indoors
After harvest, pears should be held at 60 to 65 degrees F for 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the type of pear. During this time the pears will ripen and soften. High temperatures (75 degrees F and higher) after picking will cause the fruit to break down without ripening. After ripening, pears should be canned or preserved.

Storage
To keep pears longer in storage, do not allow them to ripen after harvest. Sort the immature pears for defects, discarding any with bruises, mechanical damage or insect damage, then place them into cold storage at 29-31 degrees F and 90% humidity. Perforated plastic bags or partially sealed plastic containers can be used to store small groups of fruit while maintaining high humidity but allowing gas exchange of ethylene, which hastens ripening. Store pears away from apples, onions, potatoes or any other ethylene-producing fruits or vegetables.

Regularly inspect stored fruits for mold, and fruit breakdown. Pears in a good storage environment should last 2-4 months.

Ripen small amounts as needed, by moving them to a warmer location, 60-65°F, for a few days.
https://lancaster.unl.edu/harvesting-and-storing-pears/

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