While it is still too early to begin fruit tree pruning in Northern Illinois, that hasn’t stopped University of Illinois Extension offices in Jo Daviess, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties from providing classroom-based instruction this past November and December.
“I’ve taught this fruit tree pruning class annually since 2017, typically offering two to three in-person programs across our counties,” said Grant McCarty, University of Illinois Extension Local Foods and Small Farms Educator. “This is the first year I moved the sessions earlier to better prepare participants for the appropriate pruning window, which runs from late December through mid-March. In the past, teaching this class later in winter often meant participants had only a short time to complete pruning. Feedback has been positive with this change.”
More than 100 individuals attended the live and virtual sessions this year. McCarty prefers to teach fruit tree pruning in a classroom setting, where participants submit photos of their own trees for discussion.
“When I first developed this program, I created a color-coded method that helps participants visualize the current structure of their trees and identify limbs that may need to be removed,” McCarty said.
“Participants receive their color-coded photos back with a clear roadmap for pruning. This allows the program to function as both a traditional Extension class and an individual consultation.”
In total, McCarty provided color-coded pruning guidance for 83 fruit trees. These included young and mature trees from backyard plantings with one or two trees to orchards with more than 100 trees. Most participants reported managing between one and four fruit trees.
For more information on upcoming University of Illinois Extension programs, visit Illinois.extension.edu/jsw or call 815-235-4125.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.