Peach pruning help

Greetings, newbie here.

I had this peach tree pruned 30% in November, but I’m thinking of taking this other branch (red x) off as well, since it is making it hard to get to a garden bed right below it. Too much? I’m in zone 10a Southern Ca. Thanks so much!

Hi Sally, and welcome to Permies!  

I don't know a whole lot about pruning, but taking off more than 30% in a single year can be too much of a shock to fruit trees.  I'd leave alone now until the next dormant period.

peach trees should be pruned at pink flowering, when growth and vigor are at peak, in Georgia the trees that supply a bulk of the states crop are hacked back to usually 4 main branches from the trunk and those branches are cleared of all suckers, I know my peach trees have way too many branches and will be pruned aggressively once the flowers pop out

Here's a third thought

I've always understood that for peach trees in particular, we prune in the winter while the tree is dormant to discourage growth and prune any other time to encourage growth.

I winter prune mine as air flow over our sometimes very humid summers is important and I prune pretty drastically if called for.  
I'm pretty sure peaches are the exception to the 'no more than 30%' guideline.


...just a thought, I would pull the leaves back from the base of the trunk a foot or so and keep an eye out for borer damage.