Preparing Fruit Trees for Winter: Pruning, Protection, and Pest Prevention
Dear Friend,
November in Asheville is a month of decisions. The first hard frosts have already kissed the low valleys, and up on the ridgelines, the wind carries a bite that makes you pull your collar up. The orchards, whether they’re a few backyard apple trees or rows of peaches on a hillside, have gone quiet. The leaves are falling, and the work of the season has shifted underground — roots pulling in the last of their energy and tucking it away for spring.
It’s easy to think that, now, your fruit trees are simply “done” for the year. But this quiet time is when we can step in and give them the protection and preparation they need to come back strong next season. Just like a gardener “puts the beds to bed” in autumn, the orchard needs its own kind of tending — pruning, pest and disease prevention, and structural protection to carry it safely through winter.
Today, I want to share a step-by-step guide for winter prep, grounded in both the science of tree physiology and the traditions of Appalachian orchard care.
Step 1: Understand What the Tree is Doing Now
By November, deciduous fruit trees have entered endodormancy — a deep, internal dormancy triggered by shorter days and cooler temperatures. They’ve already set their leaf and flower buds for next year; they’re just waiting for enough chilling hours (generally 700–1,200 for apples in our area) to reset their growth cycle.
This means:
The tree is no longer actively growing above ground.
Energy is stored in the roots, trunk, and large branches.
The vascular system is still functional, but slowed — which is why we avoid heavy pruning right now (more on that shortly).
Step 2: Late-Fall Pruning — What to Do and What to Wait On
Many folks are tempted to do a full pruning in November, but that’s best reserved for late winter (February–March) when the tree is still dormant but the heaviest freezes have passed.
In November, focus on:
Removing diseased, damaged, or dead wood — This limits overwintering sites for pests and pathogens.
Taking out mummified fruit — Those shriveled apples, peaches, or plums can harbor fungal spores like brown rot.
Clearing crossing branches only if they are causing wounds.
Step 3: Sanitation for Pest & Disease Prevention
Fruit trees in our humid climate are constantly under pressure from fungal diseases and insect pests. One of the most effective — and least chemical — methods of control is fall sanitation:
Rake and remove fallen leaves from directly under the canopy, especially for apples and pears prone to apple scab (Venturia inaequalis).
Collect dropped fruit (the “windfalls”) to prevent codling moths, plum curculio, and apple maggots from overwintering in them.
Scrape loose bark on older trees with a stiff brush to expose and remove hiding spots for scale insects and borers.
Dispose of infected material in the trash or burn pile — not the compost — unless you’re hot-composting above 140°F.
Step 4: Applying Dormant Sprays
Dormant sprays are a traditional and effective part of orchard care in our region. The key is to time them for after leaf drop but before bud swell — so late November into December is often ideal for the first application.
Horticultural oil (2–3%) — Smothers overwintering insects and their eggs (scale, aphids, mites).
Lime-sulfur — Suppresses fungal spores of peach leaf curl, powdery mildew, apple scab.
Copper-based sprays — Effective against bacterial diseases like fire blight.
Scientific note: The efficacy of dormant sprays depends on full coverage — spray until runoff, coating all bark, branch crotches, and the trunk. Always apply during a dry spell above 40°F to avoid damage.
Step 5: Protecting the Trunk from Sunscald, Frost Cracks, and Rodents
Winter damage to the trunk is common in the Southern Appalachians, where we get sharp freeze-thaw swings:
Sunscald — The southwest side of the trunk warms on sunny winter days, then rapidly freezes at night, damaging bark and cambium.
Frost cracks — Long vertical splits from the same freeze-thaw stress.
Rodent girdling — Voles and rabbits gnaw bark under snow or mulch.
Preventative measures:
White tree guards or latex paint on the lower 2–3 feet of trunk reflect sunlight and moderate temperature swings.
Hardware cloth collars buried 2 inches into the soil and 18 inches high to deter gnawing.
Mulch 3–4 inches deep, pulled back 6 inches from trunk to reduce rodent cover.
Step 6: Root Zone Care Before Winter Sets In
Healthy roots are the foundation of spring growth. In late fall:
Apply 1–2 inches of compost under the drip line.
Mulch over the compost with shredded leaves or wood chips (again, keep away from trunk).
Deep water trees if the soil is dry before the ground freezes — especially for young plantings.
Step 7: Planning for Winter Pruning
While November is about protection and sanitation, structural pruning — opening up the canopy, balancing scaffold limbs, removing vigorous suckers — is best left for late winter.
Why wait?
Late-winter pruning minimizes the risk of cold injury to freshly cut wood.
It encourages a strong push of spring growth when the tree wakes.
It allows you to see the branch structure clearly without leaves.
An Orchard Example
Last November, we prepped a mixed orchard in Rabun County with apples, peaches, and plums. The process:
Cleared all fallen fruit and leaves.
Removed dead and crossing branches only.
Applied 3% horticultural oil and copper spray after leaf drop.
Installed hardware cloth collars around each trunk.
Mulched with shredded oak leaves and compost under the drip lines.
Come spring, we saw noticeably lower incidence of peach leaf curl and almost no vole damage — proof that these simple fall steps paid off.
Closing Thoughts
The work you do for your fruit trees in November isn’t glamorous. It’s quiet, measured, and deliberate. But in the rhythm of orchard life, these are the notes that set up the chorus of blooms in April and the harvest in September.
So as the last leaves flutter down and the hillsides take on their winter shapes, take a slow walk through your orchard. Notice the buds set for next year, the texture of the bark, the life still humming in the roots. This is the time to stand with your trees — to guard them, clean them, and set them up to greet spring ready for the work ahead.
Yours under the bare branches,
Unicorn Farm Nursery & Landscaping