Early Spring

• Orange trees benefit from pruning early in spring before leaves and buds have begun to emerge. This allows a gardener to remove problem branches without doing serious damage to the orange tree and causing it to expend energy on repairing wounds rather than springtime growth. Remove any dead, diseased or broken branches from the orange tree to keep it healthy and to encourage the tree to put out healthy new growth in the spring.
  
  

Summer and Maintenance Pruning

• Summer pruning is necessary if the orange tree has suffered from frost damage; frost-damaged trees should not be pruned immediately, as some branches may recover. Wait until early summer to remove branches killed in the late winter or early spring. Perform maintenance pruning as necessary throughout the growing season to help the orange tree recover from physical damage or damage caused by pests and diseases, such as branch dieback or stunted, weak growth.
  
  

Pruning Tools

• Pruning an orange tree requires the right tools. A pair of pruning shears is necessary for the removal of small branches and twigs, while larger implements like pole pruners are useful for reaching higher branches. Use a pruning saw on branches that are more than 1 inch in diameter, according to the Purdue Horticultural Extension website. Keep pruning tools sharp. Disinfect tools with wood alcohol when pruning to control the spread of disease.
  
  

Benefits

• Orange trees that receive annual pruning are less likely to have health problems, as diseased or dead branches are removed from the growing environment and cannot contribute to the decline of the orange tree or its harvest. Additionally, pruning ornamental orange trees or dwarf trees helps keep them attractive and producing new branches and blossoms each growing season. Ornamental orange trees can be pruned into a variety of shapes just by using the right tools and timing.