Summer Fruit Tree Checklist

Meredith Brown Education, Fruit Trees, Tree Care

Summer is here, and if you maintain fruit trees, now is the time to enjoy the “fruits” of your labor! The warm weather brings certain tasks that are critical to tree health and care. We hope that you will find this task list helpful as you watch your fruit trees grow. 

Basic Fruit Tree Care & Pruning 

Some basic fruit tree maintenance tasks should be done year round. Fruit trees need to receive 15-20 gallons of water once a week. They should also receive a fresh coat of mulch at least once a year. Mulch keeps weeds down, retains moisture (especially important during the hot summer months!), and is a nice finishing touch for a well maintained tree. Mulch in a donut shape keeping the mulch at least 2” away from the trunk of the tree. Any time of year, you can prune away dead, diseased, or damaged branches. This will keep your tree in tip top shape. Pruning is also helpful if you notice common diseases that can happen during the summer, such as certain molds and insect infestations. 

Make your pruning cut right before the branch collar forms. The branch collar allows the tree to seal over the pruning cut properly. Photo credit: NJ Tree Foundation.

You can prune branches in a few easy steps: 

  1. To prune, first locate the branch collar, a raised bump connecting the branch to the trunk of the tree. You should always make the pruning cut just before the branch collar forms.
  2.  Snip or cut off the branch, leaving the branch collar intact.
  3.  If you have to remove a large branch, you can make an undercut on the underside of the branch, away from the branch collar, to take the weight off the branch. 
  4. Then, cut through the branch a few inches up and away from the undercut. If done properly, the bark will tear only to the undercut. The undercut will act as a stop plug and prevent injury to the rest of the tree by preventing the bark from tearing off and creating a wound.
  5. Lastly, prune the rest of the branch off normally. 
Step 1: Undercut. Step 2: Cut away from the undercut to take the weight off the branch. Step 3: Make the pruning cut as normal at the branch collar. Photo credit: NJ Tree Foundation

Summer fruit tree chores 

There are some fruit tree chores that are best done in the summer. Below is a chore list of some tasks that are important to take care of in the warmer months: 

  1. If you have a newly planted tree and it begins to bear fruit, remove most of the developing fruit. This will help the tree put its energy into growing and becoming strong, rather than producing fruit. This process is called hand-thinning. Removing excess fruit will also prevent the baby tree from becoming weighed down with heavy fruit. 
  2. Monitor for diseases and insect infestations. Depending on the disease, you can treat your tree with an organic pesticide like neem oil, or you can prune off affected branches. 
  3. Make sure you are giving your tree water at least 1-2 times a week. This is especially important when there are droughts and warm temperatures! 
  4. Weed around the base of your tree and remove any fruit that dropped on the ground. 
  5. Add a new coat of mulch.
  6. Enjoy the “fruits” of your labor by harvesting the delicious fruit! 
A newly planted peach tree grows strong in Camden. Photo credit: NJ Tree Foundation.

Be on alert for the Spotted Lanternfly! 

The Spotted Lanternfly is a new pest that is wreaking havoc on trees this summer! In July, most of the nymphs are becoming adults. The adult Spotted Lanternfly are easy to see and spot. Spotted Lanternflies feed by inserting their feeders to withdraw sap from the tree. They also excrete honeydew, which will create a sooty mold on fruiting trees. Spotted Lanternfly is attracted to over 75 tree species, including hops and grape vines, which can devastate local beer and wine harvests. While the insect will not bite or sting humans, they can kill trees and make fruit unmarketable. If you see Spotted Lanternfly on your fruit trees or at your home, kill it immediately. You can buy tape traps to catch the insects climbing up on the tree. Please report any new sightings by calling the Spotted Lanternfly hotline: 1-833-223-2840 (BADBUG0). For more information about the Spotted Lanternfly, please read a recent article NJTF published about the insect here. Together, we can keep this invasive, destructive pest from destroying our beloved fruit and street trees! 

An adult Spotted Lanternfly in Camden. The Spotted Lanternfly has been spreading around New Jersey. Photo credit: NJ Tree Foundation.

With a few simple chores, your fruit tree will remain beautiful and produce tasty fruit for years to come. Enjoy the warm weather under the shade of your healthy, well-maintained fruit tree!