Cutting Potted Fruit Trees

General Fruit Growing
#1

Hey Everyone,

This is probably an easy question. I just bought two peach trees that were already in pots. I’ve noticed on the Dave Wilson Nursery website and their videos, they say to cut bareroot trees after planting fruit trees. When I plant these in the ground, should I cut these potted trees in the same way?

Here is an image of one of the trees. I won’t be planting them in those locations.
Imgur

Thanks!

Jon

#2

Jon,
It’s your choice,but I usually keep about four branches if possible.Ones that are at different distances from each other and at about 45 to 60 degree angle to the trunk. Brady
I want to add,if available,it is best if the saved branches are pointing in different directions and I also cut them back by about one third.

#3

Thanks, Brady. All of the Dave Wilson videos showed them cutting off the trunk at around knee height for the bareroot trees so I wasn’t sure if I should do the same for a potted tree. Would cutting the trunk on a potted tree be worthwhile?

#4

Jon,
The cut of a bareroot tree at planting is common to start a tree with low branches.

i think if you want to cut your actively growing tree off like in Dave Wilson’s video, your tree will likely die instead of pushing new buds. That method is best done at bare root planting or when a tree is dormant.

What Brady mentioned is called pruning, selecting which branches to keep, which to remove. If you want to see how a peach tree should be pruned, check Youtube, peach tree pruning by North Carolina State extension service.

1 Like
#5

When you plant a potted tree you want to cut roots that are circling the pot. This gets new root growth going outward rather then continuing to circle. so having removed some root you need to balance the needs of the top. SO definitely remove some top. in my opinion that tree is too tall anyway, I would get rid of some height. I would leave at about 1/2 of the foliage

#6

Thanks, everyone!

So essentially I should score any roots that have started to wrap around the inside of the pot, plant the trees, then prune about half of the foliage?

I will be making a raised bed for each tree. I was thinking each bed would be 24" deep. Is there anything else I should account for before I plant?