Pruning Persimmon Fruit Trees: A Step-by-Step Guide

Pruning persimmon fruit trees is very important, not only to produce high-quality fruit but also to keep your persimmon tree’s healthy. That’s why every one should learn how to prune their persimmon tree.

Every gardener should know how to prune persimmon trees, no matter if they have just started gardening. The process of its pruning is simple but lengthy and takes time, so be patient with it. In the below article, I provide my personal method of pruning. So, let’s get to

Why Pruning is Important for Persimmon Trees:

Pruning persimmon trees has a lot of benefits, which not only improve the growth of the tree but also prevent it from dangerous diseases. Below, I listed some benefits of pruning that you should know before pruning.

• First of all its improve air flow in to the persimmon tree. One of the purposes of pruning persimmon trees is to remove excessive and extra-grown branches to improve airflow and reduce the risk of getting fungal infections like powdery mildew.
• Another good reason for pruning persimmon is to enhance new growth. After pruning the persimmon tree, new branches grow better than before.
• Pruning also improves the overall structure of your persimmon tree. The pruning is not just about cutting and trimming branches but also about giving the persimmon tree a structure to help them take the load of future persimmon fruit.

Best Time to Prune Persimmon Trees:

A lot of new gardeners come to me and ask me about when to prune persimmon tree. Well, the best time for pruning persimmon trees is from late winter to early spring when the tree is still in dormant condition. Pruning should be done during the dormant season because it minimizes stress on the persimmon tree and encourages proper growth during the spring.

Some people think that you can prune during summer. Well, let me tell you, you should avoid pruning other than late winter to early spring because it would cause many problems. Pruning in summer causes late growth, which is eventually damaged by early winter frost. You can only remove, dead and diseased branches in summer from your persimmon tree nothing else.

Related: Why Pea Plant Dying?

Tools Needed for Pruning Persimmon Tree:

There are a lot of tools that can be used for pruning, but I have a few tools that I use every time I prune any of my trees.

• Pruning Saw: For big and large branches.
• Pruning Shears: For cutting small shoots and branches.
• Loopers: For thick branches.

But before starting your pruning, disinfect the tools to prevent the spreading of diseases from your persimmon tree.

How to Prune the Persimmon Tree:

The process of pruning a persimmon tree is very simple: first, cut and remove dead, diseased branches. Then, start cutting branches that are crossing one another. After that, start thinning the interior branches to increase space and allow air to pass easily. The pruning process has different cuts that you should know before starting the process, but don’t worry I will explain all of them in below guide.

Headings Cuts:

You should start with heading cuts, which are usually applied on areas to promote new growth. This cut can be applied above a bud with an outward angle. The angle protects the cut from watering pooling and encourages lateral growth. Now, look for any branch you want to turn into a bushy one.

Thinning Cuts:

The second cut, or technique, is thinning cuts that reduce the density of branches in persimmon trees. It also helps the tree to get more sunlight and improve airflow. The cut is simple: just hold the branch you want to remove and cut it at the branch collar (where it meats the trunk). Now, go around your persimmon tree and start thinning branches that grow on top of one another or take up too much space.

Removal of Water Sprouts and Suckers.

In pruning, the next step is to cut the water sprout and suckers. If you are new to pruning, and don’t know what these terms are, then let me tell you anyway.

Water Sprout: water sprouts are those branches that grow vertically but don’t produce any fruit. You can cut them to save recourses.

Suckers: Almost every other tree has suckers; it is a small tree that grows from the tree base that usually ends up dying after some time and diverts a lot of its resources. So cut it as soon as it appears on the base.

Mistakes to Avoid During Pruning:

During pruning, you need to avoid any type of mistake. Below, I listed some common mistakes I avoid and I would advise you to avoid them as well.

Over Pruning:

During the pruning process you need to make sure to not cut off too many branches because it not only looks bad but also puts extra stress on you persimmon tree. During the pruning process, just take a step back and look at the overall shape of your tree. If it’s getting too much, then stop pruning.

Timing:

Timing is the key for healthy pruning of persimmon trees. The perfect trees for pruning persimmon trees are late winter to early spring. Pruning on time other than that is not a good for your plant.

Ignoring Diseases:

During pruning, you may encounter branches with diseases that can spread easily. So, to protect your persimmon tree you must sanitize your tool before and after pruning.

below we have a video demonstration of how to prune you persimmon tree.

Conclusion:

Pruning persimmon trees is very important not only for productivity but also for its health. Pruning is easy but needs to be done properly with proper procedure. After understanding the process, you will know how to prune your persimmon tree.

I hope you understand the process, but if you still have any questions, please ask them in the comment section. I will get back to you as soon as possible.