Pruning & Training Almond Trees Roger Duncan UC Cooperative Extension, Stanislaus County Given: Pruning does not improve or sustain almond yield in the short term or the long term. • Pruning reduces yield. • The more you prune, the more you reduce yield. • Sometimes you have to prune. You must accept the sacrifice in yield. • Reason to prune needs to justify expense and yield loss Two Phases of Pruning Almond Trees 1. Tree Training Phase – Establish permanent framework of the tree – Primary & secondary scaffold selection – Years 1 – 3 2. Maintenance Pruning Phase – Years 4 - 25 Why Train Almond Trees? – Scaffold selection to improve structural integrity of the tree (prevent limb breakage) – Allow access for shakers (including limb shaking) and other equipment Why Maintenance Prune Almond Trees? • Maintenance pruning after year 3 – Allow equipment access (shakers, weed sprayers, harvest equipment, etc.) – Safety for tractor driver – Sunlight on orchard floor to improve drying – Remove dead or diseased limbs – Reduce sticks at harvest – Reduce disease? (Alternaria, hull rot, rust, etc.) Not to improve yield “Old” Minimum Pruning Trial Nickels Estate. 1979 - 1999 21st leaf Cumulative Lb / acre Yield Annually pruned 2136 34,176 Unpruned 2307 35,082 Temporary trees removed 1662 27,861 “New” Nickels Estate Minimum Pruning Trial. Cumulative Yield Through 16th Leaf (Average of all 4 varieties) Cumulative Yield Years 3 - 16 Standard Annual Pruning 31,985 Temporary Scaffold 28,441 Mechanically Topped 2nd & 4th leaf 31,427 Minimum / Unpruned 33,852