How Do You Trim English Walnut Trees?
The English walnut is a tree with a dual purpose. The tree may be used to grow edible nuts or wood for strong building materials. Depending on the eventual use of the tree, pruning will be different. An English walnut that is being trained for an orchard should be pruned with an eye toward developing a strong framework to support the walnut crop and to make it easier to spray the tree for pests. The recommended form to train trees is a modified leader system. Cut back your tree to five buds above the graft union when you plant it. Unless you cut back your tree this severely in the first year, it will not produce growth for at least two years. Cut the tree’s trunk to five feet tall the first winter after planting the tree. Remove all but the three largest branches during the first winter after planting. These primary branches will be known as “scaffold branches.” All other nut-bearing branches will grow from these branches. Cut these branches so that they are only three buds long. Selec
