An orchardist taught my how to prune fruit trees. It's not hard like you said. A few things he taught me that you demonstrated. 1. Don't be afraid to prune the bigger branches if they are in the way of getting the tree the way you like it. 2. Clear out suckers coming up from the ground 3. Keep the center open to light. This is very important. 4. Make sure you don't have branches crossing each other. Excellent demonstration. Thank you

@zoutewand

Жыл бұрын

Not having crossing branches is also a 'rule' of bonsai. Looks unnatural and makes jt look too complicated too

@paulmaxwell8851

Жыл бұрын

Can I add another pointer? Always remove broken or diseased or dead branches whenever you find them, regardless of the time of year.

@beebob1279

Жыл бұрын

@@paulmaxwell8851 Absolutely, Good for burning. Kill any disease this way. Keep it out of the compost piles if you plan on using it around the trees that it was removed

@rustyvessel5086

Жыл бұрын

Your comment was simple yet effective. Thank you

finally someone that shows the practical part of it all. this is first time it doesn't seem overwhelming. looks like almost everyone else just wants to show off how much they know about pruning but not what they actually know, so you get to the conclusion you're better off calling in an expensive expert. this was different, makes me believe i can do the stuff without reading tons of literature on the matter, i don't need a degree, right? appreciate the vid, thanks James!

@yadealone

2 жыл бұрын

Well said. I think I can prune my trees now.

TY for the time you spent on this video! Most channels show a couple cuts then move on. The repetitive cuts you made helped solidify the technique and helps us learn how aggressive you can be with pruning. :D

James, this is just terrific instruction. I’m training a young boy who keeps my yard how to take care of all my many apples and pears. He’s going to love this video!

@tinawindham6958

Жыл бұрын

That’s terrific he is learning valuable skills! Hopefully he can root some for himself.

You are very good at explaining things precisely and giving the reasons why, which helps me remember. Thank you!

Thanks for simplifying this topic. You are right! I've almost been scared to prune based on fear of doing something wrong, but once I did last spring, I got great production!

I have watched a few of your videos and am hooked on you! Your enthusiasm for gardening is the same as mine making it so easy to understand and relate, also learn! You give such awesome knowledge in the simplest least complex ways! Thank you!

I watch this video back every year to sharpen up my knowledge before i start my winter prune. Good job. Happy new year James

Just found this one. Thank you for keeping it easy. I inherited old trees that i’m working my way back 1/3rd at a time. I am getting fruit, but they aren’t very organized. I appreciate you showing many of your trees as opposed to showing only one. I really wrapped my brain around your examples, and i feel confident. Always blessings to you and Tuck and whoever else is on your team.

Everybody prunes a little bit differently. Thanks for being so thorough in your method. Only thing that caused me to wince a bit was when you sawed deep along the branch junctions, through the collar. I can understand for a visual preference to not have any knobs, except you may want to consider dieback along the cut. That saw looks so sharp. Very clean cuts. Thanks for sharing. Don't take the negative comments so seriously. Everyone is a critic, and few are experts.

@Tyskie01

3 ай бұрын

Exactly this! The collar is like a protective chemical zone that stops critters and disease from damaging the living part of the tree and must therefore be preserved when making a thinning cut! Orin Martin from UC Santa Cruz explains this beautifully in his pruning videos 😊

Great lesson from a great teacher who teaches by demo step by step. Thank you James, generous master

This gentleman is a fantastic lecturer, I really learned something today.

I'm in Jersey growing my first two apple trees! They started forming leaves for the first time, so now I need to learn to prune! Thank you for this video!

Fabulous tutorial on how to prune. I love the shapes you make and you hit it right on saying it's more and art than a science. Beautiful!

Thank you, your video was very helpful. I had a roommate almost destroy a persimmon tree in our front yard. It's been two seasons and finally it's recovered enough to prune. You simplified pruning in a way that makes a lot of sense.

Thank you for including so many cuts and commentary about why. This video is soooooo helpful!!

Thank you for your very good pruning demonstration. Great overall. One thing though, as far as bringing home chipped wood to use as compost make sure none of the chipped wood has come from diseased or fire-blighted cuttings.

I'm a bit late to the party, but for a greenhorn like me, I have difficulty visualizing what the tree will look like with foliage, blossoms, and/or fruit. It would be really nice to see what a tree looks like after dormant pruning, and then also what that same tree looks like in full dress the following season!

Your explanations are clear AND you show examples of what to cut snd how to cut it properly. Super unlike many other videos!! Thank you!! I would love to get your view on my old poorly pruned tree. Help.

Absolutely LOVE your pruning videos. You take the effort to explain how and why you choose which branches to cut!

Excellent video and tutorial. Very nice demonstration on the how to cut and most importantly, the why. So few folks know that. I used to live in Passaic County and we had quite a little orchard there. Apple, cherry, pear and nut trees. A grape arbor and current bushes. Many of the same cuts work for all the plants with a few differences on the bushes. Thanks for posting this. As a side note, I forgot how warm it is in Jersey in January. No coat, no hat. For most of January we were at or below zero here in Vermont. Good luck with your garden. I'll be looking for more great videos.

* cuts 3 branches * "I can already feel the airflow" hahaha, you the man! Loving the channel!

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

Hahah Thanks DJ. It was like a breath of fresh air 😂

coming back to this video again to refresh these great tips, thank you James for all of your fruit tree videos!

Thank you for your clear instructions. I appreciate that you reference someone else and you encourage art form and that this is your methods. I look forward to more of your videos.

Love your passion. Combination of zen and intense, if that’s possible. I learned a lot- thank you!

Great job explaining in laymen terms. Much appreciated, I have been wanting good specific videos for fruit tree pruning. Well done, thanks.

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Ya I am trying to explain it simply, but thoroughly so people are moved to take action and believe they can do it

Thanks for making this tutorial! I was feeling overwhelmed about the job at hand, but now after watching this I definitely feel like I'll be just fine! 😊 It's really like cleaning a messy room, first take out the trash (damaged branches), then clear out the clutter (suckers, centers, crowded spaced), and organize what you have left (trimming back, shaping).

YOU are to gardening what Chris Fix is to auto mechanic DIY. Thank you. Your encouraging style could teach me rocket science, I think!

Thank you James. I was going to go and prune my fruit trees today but after watching this very informative video I'll wait another month.

Love it James! I've watched this video a couple of times because I'm new at fruit trees and I've planted about 8 so far and found a couple of crab apple trees that were hiding in my forest area. We cut down trees around those to allow light for the crab apples and now they are starting to flourish! Thanks so much for your expertise!

@artstamper316

Жыл бұрын

Sorry for the ignorance, but why do you want crab apples? I thought they were simply bitter apples and not good to eat?

@tinawindham6958

Жыл бұрын

And thorny. Maybe wildlife? They r pretty when they bloom..,

This is one of the better pruning videos for apple trees, I learned a lot. I hope you show what the trees look like once they get fruit on.

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

Awesome Cee, I’m glad to hear that. Yup, I will be making videos all year at least twice a week 😁

I absolutely love your demonstration. I just got 3 new semi-dwarf 🍎 trees. 2 macintosh and a red delicious. I started watching so many different videos on pruning. As I said, started, never finished. They weren't really showing what they were doing and was very hard to understand. Your video is excellent. I saved it and am looking forward to pruning my trees in January of next year. I ain't "scaret" no more!! Lol. Thank you a bunch!!

This was the most useful and informative video of yours I've watched yet. I've watched a lot of pruning videos, this was very easy to follow and I feel like I can go at my trees with more confidence!

Great video! I just got 2 apple trees recently and planted them in my garden. I'm taking the time to get to understand pruning now before I have to prune.

I watched you from Turkey. Thank you very much for your help. This is an apple tree pruning video and it's true what you did for fungal diseases. I do not understand those who dislike.

Thank you! I pruned my apple tree using your video as a guide!

Thank you very much James. Excellent video. Much appreciated.

stumbled across this. Very good articulation, explanation & instruction. Well done!!!

@jamesprigioni

4 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it my friend ❤️😁

When I watched it for the first time, I had no idea what he is doing even though it made sense what he was explaining. It all connected when I went to the orchard and looked at the tree. Some were very neglected (inherited that way) and it takes me all day to prune just one tree ☺️ I step back and look, and think, and visualize where branches will go after a cut. Love it!

Loved the way you demonstrate your pruning skills, thanks for sharing, I’ll continue to watch and support your channels. Ty

I watched a couple videos before about pruning. You're the king of teaching it though.

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

I’m glad to hear you enjoy the way I teach. Thank you!

Great video. You explain the process well and slowly! Thank you for close ups, Why's and how's. Love you videos and your enthusiasm! It's infectious

You have made this so easy to understand! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Excellent pruning video, just what i need. Well done and thanks James.

Love your channel, James. I think I say this on every video. I've been working in my garden all day. I used a lot of your food forest concepts, permaculture ideas and my own flavor and weirdness and made my ever growing plot of nature.

Wow! Thank you, that was some really great information 👌👍🌲

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

Awesome! I’m glad you liked it 😁

Finally a simple how to get it done video with all the needed knowledge and information. Thank you.

Thank you this video was very helpful. I’m also in Jersey and I just started growing a few years ago and pruning my apple tree was scary lol but now I feel empowered 😊 Thank you, you made the pruning process so much clearer for me I get it now and feel confident thanks so much😊 Great video

Okay, I followed your advice and kept cutting until I felt it looked pretty aired out. My only question now is whether I should go ahead and remove the stump also. lol jk.

@AdustydustydustyA

5 жыл бұрын

😁

@Mrbfgray

5 жыл бұрын

I 'saw' that coming.

@williamfox9523

4 жыл бұрын

HILARIOUS!

@projet2907

4 жыл бұрын

lol !!

@squirrelhillfarm9070

4 жыл бұрын

I am not the only one .....Hilarious

Awesome video on pruning! I needed that given I am pruning for the first time this week! You explained all the steps in detail and well put together James! Thank you so much for the green light and confidence. Common Felco we have work to do! Catherine

Nice clear video James. I like that you actually went through and explained your decisions (right or wrong). Really helpful, thanks.

Your explanation was phenomenal. You're a great teacher.

Although I don't necessarily agree with all your cuts, this was very informative--you are a good narrator/teacher.

This guy prunes his edits like boss

@FreljilTheHungi

3 жыл бұрын

Ha I noticed too. So clean, so concise.

Felicitari! Sunteti un om deosebit de harnic,

Excellent instruction and presentation. Thank you for taking the time put together this video. You've saved me time and money.

Couldn't help but duck during your intro, haha. One of the better pruning videos i've seen! Thanks, James.

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

Haha! 😂 Thank you my friend, glad you enjoyed it 👍

I learned and agree with a lot in this video except for the reduction and removal cut style. I don't know of any professional or research botanist who recommends using the flush cuts that James is doing. The botanist recommendations I am seeing are that collar cuts, where the stem or branch meets the collar are the best place to cut. It makes for faster healing and closure over the cut.

Thank you for the pruning tips! I just pruned three apple trees after watching your video and I am happy with the outcome 😊

James, fantastic instructional video! Thank you!

Thank you, James! I've had trees for about 4 years now and every winter, I STRUGGLE with the pruning. This is the best video I've ever found on pruning apples and pears! I feel more confident than I ever have. Question, what do I do with the tree that gave me an overload of water sprouts?

@LandOfTheMiracle1

4 жыл бұрын

Back to Basics Homemaker Depends on so many things. Pear or apple? What rootstock? Tree shape? Angle of branches? Healthy or not? Can give you some advice if you provide details.

I basically always take the middle trunk out of the tree and leave only four to five leaders. The tree should develop as a bush, and not grow in height, so I let all the trees grow up to two meters to facilitate the harvest. By removing the middle trunk, more light enters the interior of the tree. I have had the best experience with this method.

@fordrac1ng81

4 жыл бұрын

100% correct. Helps keep everything reachable and spreads it like a bush.

@brokenbutterfly3178

4 жыл бұрын

I hear that some trees (peach trees) do better with an open center while others do well with a central leader?

@bkershaccount

4 жыл бұрын

what part do you remove on young fruit trees, and what phase of the year?....cutting off blossoms when and what's it look like?

@user9675

4 жыл бұрын

would this work well for almond or walnut trees?

Such great tips shared here James. Thank you very much.

I've got 4 apple trees to prune this winter. Thanks for your guidance. I so glad I watched before I butchered my trees. I now know what to do. Thanks.

learned a lot ...thank you!

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

Your welcome Susie! Thanks for watching 😁

@chiragyadav5561

6 жыл бұрын

Susie Veley 7141=

Great info, I look forward to following you. Too bad I just can't hire you.

Thank you so much for the easy instructions on how to prune the Apple tree. Now. I can take care of my fruit trees.

So humble. Love your videos because you give down to earth advice..

Please do not dump the branches. Use them in your smoker (grill) since you are organic. Great for using for cookouts. Love your videos.

@shayesgarden7398

6 жыл бұрын

Adding additional flavor to the food. Example: instead of hickory smoke, you will have apple/peach/etc.

@WR3ND

3 жыл бұрын

These kinds of smaller clippings aren't great for barbecue. Too much acrid smoke. Maybe some of the ones he sawed off cut into chunks.

@kennybeginner4087

3 жыл бұрын

I use them, too

@ERMAV

3 жыл бұрын

I’m going to use my Apple tree cuttings to start my bonfire that I’m going to finish off with pallets.

May I recommend you also look into summer pruning. Fruiting spurs vs vegetative growth

Love this video! It was so helpful and informative. I actually really appreciate that you made the neck, and kept it in the video, as lots of people would do that and not know if that’s OK or what to do. So I’m glad it’s normalized. This is really helpful.

Thank you for the tutorial James! I am in the middle of pruning my Apple and Pear tree’s here in SW Oregon..I appreciate the straight forward common sense approach to this subject

I see a lot of Paul in your methods!

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

Perfect! I take that as the highest compliment. 😁

@bearfootgardener3048

6 жыл бұрын

When in doubt follow a master!

@edruighaver7351

4 жыл бұрын

And who is this paul, i only know Paul from the Bible

I have more fruit n nut trees than I can possibly be an expert on, good ideas/info!

@REmcoo36

4 жыл бұрын

Keep fruit and (wal)nut trees far from each other...most fruits can't stand walnut.

What a great, clear, and helpful video!! Thank you so much.

Thank you very much for this great tutorial mate! I'm inspired to make my trees healthy and producing great fruit again

May I suggest not cutting into the collar and loppers are made for cutting anything between 1/4 inch and 2 inches. Great demonstration though!

@strauchdieb7628

4 жыл бұрын

Good call!

@carlfx1

4 жыл бұрын

i agree scissor style loppers rather than anvil style that crush.

@pberry06

4 жыл бұрын

Cutting into the branch protection zone will not allow for the wound to callus over

@hfortenberry

4 жыл бұрын

@@pberry06 I know, that was making me cringe every time he did it.

@stans5270

3 жыл бұрын

I'm glad you called it. The remaining branches are scarred because the cut branch is cut too close which affects the phloem. Like a plaque blockage in one of your heart arteries.

Great cuts! I'm curious as to what benefits pruning a tree to have an open center would have? I can't see many benefits for the health of the tree but does it have an effect on fruit yield? Also, when cutting, the proximity to the branch collar is something to mention. As close to the main stem as possible without cutting into the knotty bit of wood connecting the branch and stem. Flush cuts like this let the tree seal the wound over easier and prevent suckering.

@madypitch19

2 жыл бұрын

It maximizes light for photosynthesis, increasing fruit production :)

James I am loving your videos! Very entertaining and informative. I'm starting my food forest in the spring and I'm super excited! Thanks for the knowledge!

Thank you for this no nonsense video with excellent tips. I have six fruit trees to prune and I have been putting it off because it looked too overwhelming but I feel like I can do it now! That comment you made about pruning being a type of organizing/arranging was a light bulb moment for me.

1 Viruses are NOT dormant during winter. 2 Open center or not is a matter of personal preference and depends largely on the space you can utilize. 3 The best time to prune is whenever you stand in front of a tree with your pruners.

One of the best pruning videos I have seen! Well done!

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you! It took a lot of time but I had fun doing it. Thanks for watching!

@NorthernThaiGardenGuy

6 жыл бұрын

James I can tell you that i am not the only one who really, truly appreciates the time and effort you put in to your videos. It's is your experiences here that has helped me decide on my final design for my property here in Northern Thailand (and that is going to be a wood chip food forest, using Permaculture design(s), and Korean Natural Farming inputs). Well done, bro!

@e.291

6 жыл бұрын

Ur stupid

I enjoyed this video.. As i walked my husband out to his car, going to work, i looked at my satsuma and meyer trees and saw a TON of stuff that i now know needs cutting...👍

Great, great demonstration. Very well explained. Thank you James !

I love this video but one thing you forgot leafs don’t grow everywhere on the tree so some crossing is okay

Maybe it's just me, but I counln't get past the hand movements. Reminds me of Robert O'rouke (beto) talking down to people.

@JeffSmith-yc2ly

5 жыл бұрын

@@JDPBelhumeur go have another soy latte.

There have been apple trees and peach tree around my house since I was born (24 years) and they’ve never been touched. So I’m in for a lot of work. Thank you for the amazing video. I don’t feel as overwhelmed

Thanks, this was awesome! Great information presented clearly -- ready to go back out to my apple trees and give them a proper pruning

for the love of god do not cut flush like he has! it causes bigger wounds to heal! this is old methods that are not valid anymore! also please remember.... winter pruning should be at a minimum... winter pruning is for vigour during summer..... summer pruning is for fruiting next year!

@elliott4077

6 жыл бұрын

Not valid according to who? There's a lot wrong in this video but not this

@real_wakawaka

6 жыл бұрын

how about read about it, go learn how trees heal and youll find out that flush cuts are an old technique that is not advised by any professional. Flush cuts are bigger wounds and your removing the part that heals over quicker (collar). a whole article on it: www.urbantree.org/flushcut.shtml and www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Pruning-No-Flush-Cuts-Newsletter_vq3944.htm and many more articles from reputable sources. its also advised any stone fruit should be done after all the fruit has gone (august/September) due to disease.

@elliott4077

6 жыл бұрын

I didn't realise when I made my comment how close he was cutting, usually there's around 1cm left

@real_wakawaka

6 жыл бұрын

that's fine! only issue is in damp areas like mine your asking for trouble! don't want to come off bashing the guy as other info is valid just not the flush cut part due to disease issue and couple of years or so down the line youll have a dying tree which youll be upset considering it takes minimum of 2 years to see fruit.

@georgedallas6029

6 жыл бұрын

jafer

James, I would keep your apple wood, you should just bury it in a hugel or something. No reason to export it out of your forest. Take 15 minutes at the end of your pruning session and chop them up with a crummy pair of loppers. You know the quality of your apple wood way better then the quality of the wood you get from the dump.

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

That’s true there are probably a number of things I can do with it on the property 😁 Thanks for the idea Russell!

@RussellBallestrini

6 жыл бұрын

Another idea is mushroom farming. Apple wood is in demand for growing editable mushrooms. I've not tried this yet myself. In this way apple wood my be more valuable export if you made the right connection.

This is one of my favorite youtube gardening programs, I am learning!

There’s a lot of different videos out there on pruning, but this one gives good information that is easy to digest, or understand. Thank you for posting this video. After watching the first two random videos on pruning, I was almost ready to give up, and spend the money on a pro. This one has was worth watching.

a suggestion.. please look up CODIT Containment of decay in trees. Your showing people that they should make big angled cuts on those trees. Your also cutting into the collar. You should be making the Smallest wound possible to the tree to prevent a larger wound. Also. By cutting the collars off the branches, you are dramatically affecting the trees ability to close off the wound you are making by pruning. Not to be rude, but I'm trained by one of Canada's highest ranked arbourist and watching the way you are making those cuts is detrimental to the healing process. Just food for thought.

@hollybromley47

6 жыл бұрын

It's sad that he says pruning is more "art than science" and is completely ignorant of the science that guides the art. It's even sadder that so many people are thanking him for the great information. "Hiding his cuts" by making them flush to the branch *shudder*

@nobody845

5 жыл бұрын

Shill

@CONCERTMANchicago

5 жыл бұрын

@@hollybromley47, as you recall. Science is an Art.

@CONCERTMANchicago

5 жыл бұрын

Hey Sean, I always thought it would be difficult figuring out if one arborist could be considered better than another. Since each individual can have their own stronger skill set and built experience involving specific things, and others having strong points regarding different things. But now I confidently know. If our noble trade was to determine one of the top North American Arborist of the decade. Based only on worst costliest urban tree disaster in human history. Like Bozo on WGN from Chicago used to say....Hey thats me! But there were times I could not figure out, if I was just a lot better. Or other arborist were just so bad when it came to managing against Emerald Ash Borer disaster.

@hollybromley47

5 жыл бұрын

@@CONCERTMANchicago The scientific method is an art, but consistent scientific outcomes become fact. Treating facts as art may be convenient, but foolish.

James your killing me... all the low lying pencil branches are considered fruiting wood. PleAse don’t cut them off.

@strauchdieb7628

4 жыл бұрын

XD

i like this guy, he moves along, no wasted time.....

FINALLY I found a gardener on youtube that's in Jersey. I live in Ocean County and we have sandy soil and it sucks, lol.

@SuperLovetolisten

3 жыл бұрын

Blueberries love sandy soil!

you should become an apple farmer with an actual orchard

@jamesprigioni

6 жыл бұрын

That would be a lot of fun! Creating new varieties, grafting, EATING 😍

@jackc.3079

6 жыл бұрын

make it happen dude

Ah, youtube the land where everybody is a professional . It’s impossible to know who is right on any subject because everyone is stating they are correct and everyone else isn’t. 💤💤

@stuffbywoody5497

3 жыл бұрын

I agree. I used to work full time on orchards. I stopped the video because I disagree with about 1/3 of what he said.

This was the best pruning video I've watching so far! Thank you!

Nice, very down-to-earth, informative video on a tricky gardening “art,” with Mr Prigioni’s pleasant demeanor. Thank you!