Pruning

Pruning is not about cutting trees back. It is about managing light, air, and energy across the whole system.

Cocoa performs best under 30-50% canopy shade. When the canopy is too dense, photosynthesis is limited, disease pressure increases, and fertilizer has little effect. When it is too open, heat and water stress reduce yields.

On this farm, pruning is done selectively: targeting over shaded or unhealthy sections, removing chupons from cocoa trees, and adjusting canopy cover as the agroforestry system develops. Timing matters. Shade tree pruning begins in November, allowing the farm to enter the dry season with the right balance of cover. Around year five, thinning of high canopy trees will begin to maintain optimal light levels as the system matures.