From the
Horticultural
Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service
Institute
of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
Pruning Sugar
Apple Trees
Periodic pruning of sugar apple trees can easily maintain trees at or
below 8 to 12 ft (2.4-3.7 m) in height. Young nursery trees should be
planted and left to grow during their first season so that they will
establish quickly. However, during the early spring of the following
year either trees should be cut back to force branching along the main
trunk, or selective branches should be headed back and others cut out
completely to encourage the formation of evenly spaced branches with
wide branch to trunk crotch angles.
To maintain optimum fruit production, trees should be selectively
pruned annually. In general, about one third of the previous year's
vegetative growth should be removed during early spring
(February/March) as trees commence bud break. The goal is to maintain
fruit production in the lower tree canopy, improve light penetration
into the canopy, and limit tree size.