Prune in late winter or early spring after the risk of frost has passed
Use clean, sharp pruning shears or loppers
Remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches first
Cut off any branches crossing or rubbing against each other
Remove suckers growing from the base or below the graft union
Thin crowded interior branches to improve airflow and light
Trim back overly long or leggy branches to shape the tree
Cut just above an outward-facing bud or branch junction
Avoid removing more than one-third of the tree at a time
Remove water sprouts growing straight up from main branches
Keep the center open if you want a vase-shaped canopy
Disinfect tools between cuts if disease is present
Clean up and discard all pruned material
Avoid heavy pruning during flowering or fruiting periods