Dead wood can be pruned at any time although there can be an advantage to waiting until first spring growth to wound peach trees with pruning cuts. Canker is less likely because wounds heal more quickly when tree is growing, but if you only cut through dead tissue this won't be an issue. If it is a healthy young and vigorous tree, canker probably won't be a concern anyway.

So I can do it now?

The answer is in the first answer. Yes, under the conditions I describe.

We have the same problem multiplied over and over with different fruit trees. We purchased a seriously neglected property with 1.4 acres and several fruit trees. Peaches, Plums, Persimmons, Guava, and most citrus and apples are fine.

We have watered everything now, and most fruiting trees are starting to bloom. Half of a multi-variety Apple is dead. The rest is doing fine! Almost the entire tree of another apple is dead, and there are no blooms, but the main trunk has shoots with green leaves.

A blood orange in a container, when pruned, eventually shows green, but no leaves are showing. A lemon in a container is leafing out all over the place.

Should we cut out the dead, or should we wait?

Thanks!
Suzi

If there is no green beneath the bark, cambium is dead and you might as well remove to the end of dead tissue while avoiding cutting into living tissue. The dead wood can harbor fungus harmful to the living parts of the tree.

Trees that are sending out vigorous new growth that have lost branches can probably be regrown into productive and attractive trees. Sounds like fun to me.

Thanks! I hadn't thought about fungus! Spring and summer will be a surprise to find out what all these fruit trees are!

We will diligently prune all dead wood off!

Thanks!

Suzi

1.4 acres several fruit trees that are not tagged?
That does sound like fun to investigate
I have several antique fruit trees on my property
found out last summer they were planted approx 1943
so I kinda gave up but this I tried the season before
take notes on all bloom & harvest times
fruit description both visually & taste
have fun!