Open the Canopy Before It Hides the Work
A fruit tree can look healthy and still become hard to manage. Leaves thicken, shoots cross, fruit sets deeper inside the canopy, and the lower path slowly becomes harder to use. By the time harvest work feels awkward, the tree may already be hiding the signals that would have helped earlier. The useful question is not whether the tree needs a dramatic pruning session. It is whether light, air, and access are still clear enough for the next few weeks of fruit sizing, checking, and picking. A small canopy adjustment made early is often easier than a large correction made after the tree has closed in. Canopy checks are easier while fruit, leaves, and work paths are still visible. Look through the tree, not only at it From a distance, a dense canopy can look strong. Up close, it may be blocking the view of fruit clusters, inner leaves, and weak areas. The first check should be simple: can you see through enough of the tree to understand where fruit is sitting and where new growth is crowd...