Best time to prune is January through mid-February in California. The first step is to remove all rootstock suckers and water sprouts from the lower three feet of the tree. Prune to promote fruiting branches. The tree should look balanced from every angle. Prune to remove dead or damaged branches. The goal when pruning peach trees is to remove old, slow growing, non-fruitful shoots and leave 1-year-old, 18- to 24-inch (45-60 cm.) Ten Basics of When and How to Prune Fruit Trees.

If trees put on too much top growth during the summer, cut back the shoots after harvest. Cut out vertical sucker shoots during winter pruning.

How to Prune. Complete the pruning …
About 40% of the tree should be pruned out annually. Annual pruning should take place in January, in California, the same as corrective pruning. red bearing shoots. Small horizontal branches left unpruned will grow fruit the next year. The first and easiest step is to prune off all the suckers. Peach trees should be cut 1/4 inch from the bud where it attaches to the trunk. Pruning peach trees every year ensures that nutrients aren't wasted on excess foliage or dead limbs. When pruning peach trees, keep walking around the tree and look at the tree from a different perspective. These are the little shoots that spring up from the roots of the plant. This pruning stimulates growth and produces full, leafy trees with plenty of healthy fruit. Instead, those nutrients support large, healthy fruits. Prune to “open up” center of trees for sunlight. Prune fruit trees when the leaves are off (dormant). General principles. Prune peach trees to create a well-ventilated canopy, allowing light and air circulation in the tree's center and lower foliage. Prune to keep tree well-balanced and to a manageable size—for ease of harvest.