Root pruning in apples and pears

Find expert guidance gleaned from grower experience and the results of three years of trials conducted in a Cox apple and a Conference pear orchard in Kent.

This information was last udated in 2008.

Why is this guidance important?

Root pruning is a viable alternative to chemical growth control in apples and pears.

Levy funded trials looked at the effect on tree growth and fruit size of pruning at different timings and distances from the trunk.

The guidelines available here are based on those findings and should be applicable in a wide range of orchards.

Figure 1. Root pruning during the dormant season in Cox. Note: the use of an angled blade on the right hand side of the picture in the treated rows and a vertical stabilising blade on the left hand side of the picture.

Key action points

• Try the technique by applying it in the dormant period at approximately two thirds of the way from the trunk to the edge of the tree canopy.
• Monitor the results and adjust the distances for greater or lesser control in subsequent years.
• Be prepared to repeat in late June/July if growth control is not adequate.

Best practice for root pruning in apples and pears

Find further information which provides a comprehensive breakdown of the tips and techniques gleaned from the trials.

Original Author

Tim Biddlecombe, FAST