Cutting tamarillos down to size (forum)

Rob19 starts with ...
I was hoping someone could provide some advice on reducing the height of a tamarillo. My current tree is approximately 3m tall and after spending 6 months at a 30 degree angle (thanks to the wind) I decided to try and straighten it up. Whilst I'm not 100% convinced it will survive this operation (due to root damage)I thought it might be worth dropping the height of the tree to reduce wind stress.


Is it possible to simply cut through the trunk, above the the lowest leaves, and hope it will re shoot or is there more of an art to it than this?

Do I need to seal the wound if I do cut the trunk?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 18th August 2014 10:43am

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About the Author Rob19
WEST FOOTSCRAY,3012,VIC
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MaryT1 says...
The wind snapped off the head of my tamirillo twice and each time it just reshot. I have also sawn off the trunk at midriff and it reshot. No art. No dressing. Wouldn't do it in this rain though.

Time: 18th August 2014 11:12am

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About the Author MaryT1
Sydney
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TMary says...
Tamarillo after being beheaded three times
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 18th August 2014 11:56am

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About the Author TMary
Neutral Bay NSW
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JohnMc1 says...
If you want more Tamarillo's Rob, they strike by tip cutting very easy. Daley's has, may still do, graft them onto wild tobacco seedlings.

Time: 18th August 2014 6:50pm

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About the Author JohnMc1
Warnervale NSW
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Julie W says...
Mary, did you cut it so there were no leaves left on the tree? All the lower leaves on mine have died in the cold, so the top ones are now fairly high up.

I did cut it back a year ago, and it grew two new shoots, but it keeps heading skywards.

It's now two years old from seed, so I'm hoping for fruit this year.



Time: 18th August 2014 8:19pm

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About the Author Julie
Roleystone WA
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MaryT1 says...
Yes, I cut it where there were no leaves because I was going to remove it but it grew back before I could dig it out (it was in the ground) :)

Time: 18th August 2014 9:02pm

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About the Author MaryT1
Sydney
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Rob19 says...
Thanks for all the great advice. I'll attack the tree this weekend and provide photos should anyone else ask the same question in the future.

It goes without saying that if anyone wants some cuttings I should have quite a few....although I must say this one is a fairly unremarkable specimen.

Time: 21st August 2014 10:01am

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About the Author Rob19
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Blampe says...
Do you mean that a tamarillo can actually be cut basically in half below the leaves and survive to push new growth?

Time: 4th April 2018 6:04am

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About the Author Blampe
Sault Ste. Marie
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Waterfall says...
We cut ours back down each year to chest height after we pick the last fruit, it doesn't harm them at all.

Time: 5th April 2018 8:01pm

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About the Author Waterfall
WATERFALL,2233,NSW
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Diana McGregor says...
I live in Coffs Harbour... I have a very high tamarilo tree that has had abundance of fruit this last few months. But its still in a big pot and I want to now put it in the ground in the same place the pot has been. But there are still flowers and some small fruit coming and still some unripened fruit on the tree. Do I sacrifice those fruit and just replant it and can I prune it first? If so how low can I prune? Thankyou in advance.. Diana

Time: 29th June 2019 1:10pm

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About the Author Diana McGregor
Coffs Harbour
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