Pruning Guide for Australian Gardens
Seasonal calendar, cut types, and step-by-step methods for fruit trees and berries
Pruning is the single most impactful thing you can do for fruit trees and productive plants. Done well, it improves fruit quality, controls tree size, prevents disease, and extends the life of your plants. Done badly (or not at all), trees become overcrowded, fruit gets smaller, and diseases take hold.
This guide covers when to prune, the two fundamental cut types, and specific methods for the most common Australian garden trees.
Seasonal Pruning Calendar
Winter (June to August)
The main pruning season for deciduous fruit trees. Stone fruit (peach, plum, nectarine, apricot, cherry), figs, grapes, and mulberries are all pruned while dormant and leafless. You can see the branch structure clearly and the trees are not actively growing.
Late winter/early spring (August to September)
Prune citrus trees lightly to remove dead wood and shape. Prune roses for the spring flush. Avoid heavy citrus pruning which removes fruiting wood.
After harvest
Some trees are best pruned immediately after picking. Mangoes, avocados, and summer-fruiting berries are pruned after harvest while there is still warm weather for regrowth.
Never prune
Do not prune stone fruit in autumn or early winter. Bacterial canker enters through fresh wounds in wet, cool weather. Wait until midwinter or later when conditions are cold and dry.
Heading vs Thinning Cuts
Every pruning cut is either a heading cut or a thinning cut. Understanding the difference is the foundation of good pruning.
Heading cuts
Cutting a branch back to a shorter length (above a bud). This stimulates vigorous regrowth from the buds below the cut. Use heading cuts to encourage bushiness, reduce height, and rejuvenate old wood. Multiple new shoots grow from below the cut.
Thinning cuts
Removing an entire branch back to its point of origin (another branch or the trunk). This opens up the tree without stimulating a burst of new growth. Use thinning cuts to improve air circulation, let light into the canopy, and remove crowded or crossing branches.
Pruning by Plant Type
Citrus (lemon, orange, mandarin, lime)
Citrus need very little pruning. Remove dead wood, suckers below the graft, and any branches that cross or grow inward. Tip-prune long, leggy growth to encourage branching. Never remove more than 20% of the canopy in one year. Prune in late winter or early spring.
Stone fruit (peach, plum, nectarine, apricot)
Prune in winter to an open vase shape. Remove all branches growing into the centre of the tree. Keep 3 to 5 main scaffold branches growing outward. Shorten side branches by one-third. The goal is a tree shaped like an open hand, not a dense ball.
Fig trees
Prune in winter. Figs fruit on new growth (main crop) and on previous year's wood (breba crop). Remove dead and crossing branches. Open up the centre. Cut back long branches by one-third. Hard pruning is fine every few years to control size.
Berry canes (raspberry, blackberry)
For summer-fruiting types: remove canes that have just fruited (they will not fruit again) and tie in new green canes. For everbearing types: cut all canes to the ground in winter for simplicity.
Essential Pruning Tools
- Bypass secateurs: For cuts up to 2 cm diameter. The most-used pruning tool. Buy a good pair and keep them sharp.
- Loppers: Long-handled, for branches 2 to 5 cm diameter. The extra leverage makes cuts easier and cleaner.
- Pruning saw: For branches over 5 cm. A folding pruning saw is the most useful type for home gardeners.
- Disinfectant: Clean blades between trees with methylated spirits or a bleach solution to prevent spreading disease.
Get Pruning Reminders
The Planting Season app sends pruning reminders at the right time for your region and your specific plants.
Open the App →Frequently Asked Questions
When should I prune fruit trees in Australia?
Most deciduous fruit trees are pruned in winter (June to August) while dormant. Citrus are pruned lightly in late winter. Tropical fruit trees (mango, avocado) are pruned after harvest. Never prune stone fruit in wet autumn weather.
What is the difference between heading and thinning cuts?
A heading cut shortens a branch (cutting above a bud) and stimulates bushy regrowth. A thinning cut removes a whole branch back to its origin and opens up the tree without triggering vigorous regrowth. Good pruning uses both types.
How much can I prune at once?
For most fruit trees, remove no more than one-third of the canopy in a single year. Citrus should lose no more than 20%. Removing too much at once stresses the tree and triggers excessive, unproductive regrowth.
Should I seal pruning cuts?
For most trees, no. Clean cuts heal on their own. The exception is large cuts on stone fruit trees, which benefit from pruning paste to prevent disease entry. Citrus and figs do not need wound sealing.
