- 1). Allow young trees to grow relatively untrimmed for the first four years. Remove only suckers, crossed branches and those that are more than two-thirds the diameter of the leader. Manipulate the remaining lateral branches by tying them to the support trellis within the high-density orchard system.
- 2). Trim lateral branches so that the longest branches are at the lower part of the tree and each set of lateral branches on the trellis going up the tree is shorter to form a roughly pyramidal form to the tree, once mature.
- 3). Remove one or two upper branches on mature trees each year, from around 6 or 7 years old, to stimulate branch production on the upper portion of the tree. This allows the lower branches to continue to develop. Cut the branch off at an angle, leaving only a small stub.
- 4). As new branches form from the stubs, trim the ends off to head them back, to allow them to strengthen and hold fruit without bending.
- 5). Head back other lower branches as fruit forms to lighten the branch and prevent the fruit from bending the branch down.
- 6). Cut off any branches shading the tree to a stub, and train a new renewal branch in its place.
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