Published in the Contra Costa Times on February 17, 2007

Knowing Pruning Basics Helps You Guide Growth

Question: When should I prune my persimmon tree?

Answer: The short answer is now, but here are some fruit tree pruning basics:

• Winter pruning - It is easier to see a tree's structure when the leaves have fallen. Trees that are winter pruned are invigorated. Pruning stimulates the remaining buds.
• Summer pruning - Pruning in the early summer is used to slow down the growth of trees that are too large or too vigorous.
• Newly planted trees - Remove only crossing or broken branches the first year, and paint with white latex paint to reduce the chance of sunburn. The second year, cut the tree back to 2 to 3 feet. This enables the tree to form a vase-shaped structure from the buds that will emerge below the cut; low branching will be easier to maintain. Paint again.
• Young fruit trees should be allowed to grow for several years without producing fruit.
• Upright branches do not tend to produce much fruit. Horizontal branches produce fruit buds. Upright branches can be bent to a 45-degree angle to encourage fruiting wood to form.
• Remove broken, crossing or diseased branches and branches shooting straight up or heading sharply downward. Remove all suckers and water sprouts.
• Persimmons tend to be alternate bearers (a large crop one year and little the next). Heading back the branches by about one-third will reduce this. Always head back to a bud that is facing in the direction you would like the tree to grow. Do not leave stubs; prune back to within one-fourth of healthy buds.
• Shaded branches stop bearing. Prune to increase light into the canopy of the tree. For persimmons, you want to remove about 20 percent of last year's growth.
• Do not paint pruning cuts with anything.

Bethallyn Black is director of the Contra Costa Master Gardeners, a program associated with the University of California Cooperative Extension and supported by Contra Costa County. Reach her at bblack@ucdavis.edu, or 925-646-6586. Send general questions for the Master Gardener to mgcontracosta@ucdavis.edu.