When pruning in the dormant season, proper timing is essential.

Winter is the time for pruning fruit trees, but remember one important thing: Hardy fruit trees like apple and pear can be pruned anytime during the winter. They can handle the cold. However, "stone" fruit trees like peach and cherry can be damaged by a hard pruning in temperatures less than 20 degrees.

Go ahead and prune your apple and pear trees anytime between January and April. Wait to prune your peach and cherry trees until after 15 February.

Pruning can be tough in a "transition" zone between the cold North and the temperate South. Wise (and timely) pruning can make all the difference in the health of your trees.

Happy pruning,
Peter