Fruit Tree Selection & Pruning

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Ag Chat from 1/27/26: Fruit Tree Selection & Pruning
From our Horticulture Agent, Matt Solomon
When deciding what type of fruit tree to plant in your yard or for your farming operation, there are many things to consider. The first being where you will plant the tree. Most fruit trees need anywhere from 6-8 hours of sunlight during the day. The best way to determine a good location is to watch the sun throughout the day to see where the most sunlight is reaching. The next step is making sure you place it in an area that has good water drainage and not where water may pool in your yard.
When selecting a variety it is best to research which varieties of fruit trees grow best in your area. For apples in the piedmont it is recommended to plant Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious. It is also best to plant more than one fruit tree to make sure that they are pollinated during the growing season. Once planted it will take up to 3 years before you start to harvest fruit and pruning will be required every year when they are dormant in the winter, to encourage new growth.
Pruning your fruit trees should take place during those dormant stages. Generally between January and March. Apple and pear trees are normally pruned in mid-January to February, while peaches and plums are pruned mid February to early March. Pruning is a good practice to help keep your trees from becoming overgrown and promote better fruit sets for the upcoming year. If your tree is overgrown it is always best to prune in thirds to avoid stressing the tree. This is also a time to look for diseases in the branches that may have overwintered and remove them before the tree starts actively growing again.
If you have fruit trees in your landscape, are looking to start an orchard, or would like to learn how to prune your trees, please feel free to reach out to us at N.C. Cooperative Extension and we will be glad to come look at your fruit trees and teach or give recommendations that may help.
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Written By

Lily Hill, N.C. Cooperative ExtensionLily HillCounty Extension Office Assistant Call Lily Email Lily N.C. Cooperative Extension, Caswell County Center
Posted on Jan 29, 2026
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