When and How Should I Prune My Apricot Tree?

Apricot pruning is fundamentally different from apple or pear pruning because of one crucial rule: apricots must never be pruned in autumn or winter. Stone fruits are highly susceptible to silver leaf and bacterial canker, both of which infect through pruning wounds — and both diseases are most active in wet autumn and winter conditions. Pruning only during dry summer weather (late June through July) is not simply recommended for apricots; it is essential for the tree's long-term health.

Why only prune in summer

Bacterial canker spores (Pseudomonas syringae) and silver leaf spores (Chondrostereum purpureum) are both released and most infective during wet autumn and winter weather. Pruning wounds created in winter provide immediate entry points during peak spore release. In summer, the tree is in its most resistant phase — wounds callus rapidly and spore release is at its seasonal low. The combination of fast wound closure and low disease pressure makes summer the safest pruning window.

What to remove: wall-trained fans

For wall-trained fans, summer pruning focuses on: pinching or cutting back the side shoots (laterals) growing from the main fan arms to 5–6 leaves (to be reduced to 3 leaves after harvest or the following summer); removing any growth shooting directly into the wall or directly away from it; tying in young growth needed to fill gaps in the framework; and removing any suckers, water shoots or crossing growth. The aim is to maintain the flat, open fan shape and avoid congestion.

What to remove: standard or bush trees

For free-standing apricots, summer pruning concentrates on removing dead, diseased or crossing branches; reducing inward-pointing growth that congests the canopy; and containing height by cutting back the tallest shoots to a well-positioned lateral. Work systematically and never remove more than one-third of the canopy in a single season.

Wound paint

Apply wound paint (bitumen-based sealant or proprietary wound paste) to every cut surface immediately after cutting. This is standard practice for all stone fruit pruning wounds and significantly reduces infection risk through fresh cuts.