An Important Pruning Reminder
Mario Miranda Sazo, Cultural Practices
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Cold hardiness is the ability of a plant to withstand low temperatures. Low temperature injury after a pruning cut can vary depending on when the low temperatures occurs (early vs. mid- or late-winter), how fast the temperature drops after the pruning cut, what the temperatures are the few days before and within 10-14 days after the pruning event, and how long the low temperatures are sustained in the orchard. Young trees are more sensitive to cold snaps after pruning than older trees. For those of you who produce fresh fruit we recommend you start pruning your older trees and the most resistant cultivars to winter damage first. The most resistant cultivars like McIntosh should be pruned now leaving the more sensitive cultivars until after January 1. Do not start your pruning of Empire, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, and Mutsu at this time of the year just because you have the time and/or available labor force. Cutting done at this time (particularly making large chainsaw cuts) can predispose trees to winter injury if temperatures drop rapidly in the next couple of weeks. Hold off all pruning of most sensitive cultivars until trees have time to harden off under more cold weather. The more sensitive apple cultivars to winter damage after a pruning cut are: Golden Delicious, Red Delicious (more sensitive), Empire (more sensitive), Jonagold, and Mutsu. The apple cultivars with an intermediate susceptibility to winter damage after a pruning cut are: Paula Red, Cortland, Gala, Idared, and Greenings. The apple cultivars with less sensitive to winter damage after a pruning cut are: Honeycrisp and McIntosh (all strains).
Managing Crop Load of Apple Orchards by Pruning (pdf; 265KB)
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Upcoming Events
2026 Winter Fruit Schools
February 4, 2026 : 2026 Winter Fruit School - Niagara County
Lockport, NY
CCE-LOF are excited to bring you a return to LOF's Winter Fruit Schools, in which there will be two nearly identical programs on consecutive days in two locations in LOF's territory. We are in the process of putting together the program, and have garnered key input from our growers, businesses, and other personnel. Please note registration cost increases after January 27th, Registration Now!
February 5, 2026 : 2026 Winter Fruit School - Wayne County
Williamson, NY
CCE-LOF are excited to bring you a return to LOF's Winter Fruit Schools, in which there will be two nearly identical programs on consecutive days in two locations in LOF's territory. We are in the process of putting together the program, and have garnered key input from our growers, businesses, and other personnel. Please note registration cost increases after January 27th, Registration Now!
2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars
January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
Week 1: Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops
Week 2: Cost of Production for Fruit Crops - A new tool for tree fruit, updates on berry production in NY, and strategies for tracking and using expense data.
February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates
Week 3: Fire Blight Management Updates - Pathogen Biology, Defense Inducers, Biopesticides, and Pruning Therapies
February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
Week 4: Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
Week 5: Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
March 19, 2026 : St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Week 6: St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Advisory Committee Meeting - Program Updates
February 26, 2026
Spencerport, NY
Join the Lake Ontario Fruit Team for programming updates and goals. This meeting is your chance to shape the research priorities of our specialists and team. Your insights are vital to delivering the most valuable resources and support to the WNY apple industry.