If the length exceeds 24 inches, cut off about one-third of this fruiting branch.

Aug 30, When the tree is well-grown, pruning consists mainly of moderate thinning and heading cuts back to outward-growing laterals to keep the tree low and spreading. A height of 8 to 9 feet is preferred.

Start by removing low-hanging, broken, and/or diseased limbs. Spray trees with dormant oil to control San Jose scale. Spray fixed copper to control peach leaf curl December 1 and February 1. Prune out 50% of last year’s wood to thin the crop, insure good shoot growth and fruiting potential for future years. In the first year select three to four limbs distributed evenly around trunk. Leave small branches on these limbs for early fruiting and sunburn protection. Head limbs half their length, should be".

At the second year select one or two limbs on each primary. Head these back to ½ their length ("). Judicial pruning each year avoids the need to heavily prune older trees. Some neglected trees can be rejuvenated with careful pruning, but fruit production declines in old nectarine trees.

1 Clean. Pruning, and caring for your nectarine tree Nectarine tends to not have apical dominance, which means that after pruning, it will sprout new shoots from the base rather than from the top.

Every year, it is important to prune your tree at the end of winter just above a well-formed wood bud.