We may see peach fruit on the Front Range in perhaps 1 year out of 5, so it’s understandable that people want to leave it all on the tree in those bearing years. However if the fruit is thinned in June, when the fruit is small the result will be larger, sweeter fruit and the risk of limbs breaking is reduced. To properly thin, pinch the buds to 6inches between the growing fruit. When limbs break, they should be trimmed using a pruning saw to make a smooth cut at the site of the jagged tear. Also review the links provided on peach tree pruning practices.
For more information, see the following Colorado State Extension fact sheet(s).
