When to prune your garden in spring. When is it best to prune trees in autumn or spring?
Garden landscaping is carried out to improve appearance, stimulation of fruiting and growth. Summer pruning of fruit trees has both supporters and opponents. In most cases it is perceived as additional and superficial. But you should not neglect the method, because when correct execution the condition of the tree is improving.
Types of pruning
Depending on the time of the procedure, the procedure can be summer, autumn, winter or spring. Trees need to be pruned in the summer for several reasons. According to the purposes of carrying out, trimmings are distinguished:
- formative, aimed at the formation of a strong skeleton, is carried out during the period of growth and development of the tree;
- for fruiting, which allows you to renew growing branches and increase the yield;
- regulating, maintaining a balance between growth and fruiting, carried out during the active development of fruits;
- supporting thins out the crown, recommended in July or August;
- rejuvenating is suitable for old trees that are no longer able to grow;
- sanitary will remove dry and diseased branches.
Advantages and disadvantages of summer pruning
The procedure is necessary in a number of cases, although it is carried out more superficially than in the fall. Fruit trees can be pruned in summer to provide the following benefits:
- when removing rapidly growing branches nutrients will be directed by the tree for the formation and development of fruits;
- during this period it is easier to arrange the crown so that all branches have enough sunlight, as well as to create conditions convenient for harvesting;
- removal of young shoots has a rejuvenating effect on fruit trees, stimulates them to develop new branches;
- pruning excess shoots creates comfortable conditions for fruit ripening, serves to prevent the appearance of malignant growths on leaves;
- The summer procedure stimulates the formation and growth of new buds and reduces excessive growth of shoots.
Pruning fruit trees and shrubs in summer also has some disadvantages:
- the formation of leaf buds on branches decreases;
- the growth and development of fruit trees may slow down slightly;
- an incorrectly carried out procedure will lead to a decrease in fruiting, in some cases causing the death of the plant;
- the growing season is prolonged.
Technology
Is it possible to prune fruit trees in the summer, how to carry out the procedure without negative consequences, which plants require it - only experienced gardeners. It can be difficult for beginners to determine the need for pruning, in what period it is needed and for which particular specimens. For this reason, it is advisable to carefully study all the nuances of the procedure, choose from various methods the most suitable in this case.
In summer, pruning of fruit trees can be done by thinning and shortening. Procedure techniques are divided into types:
- bud cut;
- ring cut;
- side branch cut.
In addition to them, additional operations are used - pinching (pinching), pinching, tilting and holding the branches in the desired position.
A bud cut is used to stimulate the development of spreading branches in shrubs and fruit trees. If the center is thickened, to expand the crown, pruning is performed on the outer bud, which consists of shortening it to a bud looking away from the center. In order to raise the lower branches and strengthen the central part of spreading trees, pruning is applied to the inner bud directed towards the center.
A ring cut is needed to remove a thick branch entirely. Often used for sanitary and anti-aging pruning. A cut to a side branch (to transfer) is considered less traumatic and is used to change the direction of growth from one shoot to another. All incapacitated branches are cut off, the functions of which begin to be performed by the lateral branches.
Pinching is cutting off the upper part of an annual shoot with garden shears or pruning shears. The procedure is carried out over the 3-5th true leaf, when the length of the branch is approximately 15 cm. If, after pinching, axillary buds begin to grow, then the short shoots should be left and the long ones removed again.
Pinching is an adjustment performed by breaking out young shoots. In this case, the restoration process occurs faster than with conventional pruning of thicker branches. Shoots are removed using this method when their length is no more than 4-5 cm.
In the case of a weakened plant or if it is necessary to slightly correct the inclination of the branches, they can be tied under the right angle thick rope to a peg in the ground. In this case, the loop is made free so that when the shoot thickens, the thread does not dig in and deform the branch.
Trees pruned in June or early July should be fully restored by the end of August. IN summer period at fruit varieties Juice is actively produced, which helps wounds to quickly heal and heal, preventing infections from penetrating into the cut site.
It requires pruning not only of old plants, but also of fruit tree seedlings. The procedure is carried out from the first year after planting and allows you to immediately form the correct crown, convenient for harvesting. It is desirable that ripe fruits can be removed from the ground; the height of an adult tree should not exceed 3 m.
How to cut correctly
To prune trees, you will need special, well-sharpened tools - a small hacksaw with set teeth and a blunt tip, as well as pruning shears different sizes. To treat the cut, you need a garden varnish, applied in a thin layer to the wound. Each technique has its own nuances and implementation features. The final result depends on the correctness of pruning, the absence negative impact
or escape entirely.
When cutting into a ring, the branch should be removed along the upper edge of the ring-shaped bead at its base. First, cut a little from the bottom so that the bark is not damaged when pruning. If the branch is too thick and long, first saw it off at a distance of 25-30 cm from the trunk, and then remove the remaining part. An uneven or torn cut must be cleaned. You cannot cut it down along with the ring or leave the stump, as rotting, cracking of the bark and core, drying out of the branch, and a hollow may appear.
When cutting to transfer, only part of the branch is removed, in which its growth is directed towards strong branches growing in the desired direction. To do this, select a strong lateral branch and remove everything that is above this branch. Remove so that the cutting plane is a continuation of the remaining process.
Tops and forks After in summer a lot of young shoots appear on the branches. Powerful, vertically directed shoots that grow from dormant buds on old wood are called tops. A large number of these shoots may be a feature of the plant variety, and also signal excessive pruning or disease. Tops grow quickly and branch. Fruiting from them can only be expected after a few years, but the crown turns out to be very thick. Therefore, they should be removed by cutting into a ring.
It should be left only near old trees, where branches that have stopped growing can be replaced with a new top.
Last year's shoots are called forks. They are removed in order to thin the crown and allow sufficient sunlight to reach the fruits. If many shoots have been cut, especially thick ones, it is necessary to treat the cut area with garden varnish and feed the plant. It is possible to use biostimulants for growth.
In summer, pruning of fruit trees is carried out as follows: additional procedure for spring thinning. It is important to follow the technique and choose the extra shoots correctly. Weakened plants should not be severely pruned. If the tree is infested with pests or infection, you must first get rid of them. If there is a lack of nutrients, add fertilizer.
A tree may need proper pruning in the fall for a variety of reasons:
- Removing diseased or wind-damaged branches;
- Reducing the crown to renew branches and better air circulation;
- Reducing height;
- Removing interfering lower branches;
- Shaping for design solutions;
- Increased yield.
Once the decision to prune has been made, consider whether you should tackle the job yourself. If on your site a big tree, where you want to remove large branches at the top of the crown, it is best to hire professionals. In particular, pruning may require lifts and heavy chain saws. This is a job that should be left to trained and experienced professionals.
The timing of pruning in the garden always depends on the type and method used. Thus, it is produced in different time year, in any season, but preference is given to the spring period, before the buds swell. Dead branches can and should be removed throughout the annual cycle.
Never compromise your personal safety when pruning.
Spring
Pruning to enhance growth is recommended in the spring. This is because nutrients are distributed from the roots and perennial parts to the younger parts of growth and fruiting. It is best to choose the period immediately before the start of sap flow, which will have a beneficial effect on pruning. Shrubs that bloom in spring should not be trimmed.
Autumn winter
Pruning in the autumn and winter seasons is often performed in areas where it is mostly warm and there are no severe frosts. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to the bark and wood in the place where the cut was made due to extreme cold or sunburn.
When planning pruning, it is important to remember that the temperature should not fall below - 8 degrees. Pruning during this period minimizes sap loss and subsequent stress to the tree. This will also minimize the risk of fungal or insect infestation, as the fungus and insects will likely be dormant. Finally, in case deciduous trees, pruning after leaf fall will give you a better idea of how the shape of the trunk will change. It is not recommended to prune fruit trees in the fall.
Summer
Gardeners rarely prefer summer pruning, since when the buds are swollen and the tree is blooming, the ringlets can be damaged, and in the summer the branches will have to be removed with the harvest. However, it makes sense during this period to start pinching shoots that do not require strong growth, as well as removing the tops that appeared after a large cut.
Trimming tools
Here are the main tools:
- Secateurs. It is not recommended to use tools with ratchet mechanism. It is best to choose a regular and convenient pruner.
- Garden hacksaw. This is a specialized hacksaw that tapers towards the end of its blade. The teeth are designed in such a way that they do not allow the hacksaw to become clogged with sawdust. It is not recommended to use a hacksaw. For comfortable work, purchase a tool according to the profile.
- Air pruner. This type of pruner is used for hard to reach areas of the tree. It is a bar on which a pruning shear is attached, driven by a lever and a rope.
It is necessary to monitor the condition of the instrument. To avoid damage to the trunk or bark, sharp blades must be used. Otherwise, there is a risk of surfaces becoming susceptible to contamination by harmful microorganisms. Tree diseases are easily spread by contaminated tools.
Therefore, after each pruning procedure, do not forget to disinfect your tools in a solution of chlorine and water in a ratio of 1/9, followed by cleaning with soapy water and then drying.
How to properly prune trees and shrubs in the garden?
common goal– cut off an unwanted branch, while keeping the trunk intact. The most common mistake is when a branch is cut too close or too far from the trunk. Or, by breaking the sequence, they damage the bark, especially when pruning large branches.
Depending on the purpose of the work being carried out, you will be able to determine which technology to use.
Bud cut
Using this pruning method, you can, for example, change the direction of branch growth depending on your needs. You need to choose a bud located on a one-year-old shoot that grows in the desired direction. This cut is made at an angle of 45 degrees to the branch.
The cutting blade of the pruning shears should be directed towards the part of the tree that will remain. Pruning is done by forming a slight angle so that the bud remains unharmed, but at the same time without forming a stump.
The kidney will dry out if it does not receive the necessary substances. This happens when a very sharp cut is made that hits the kidney. Here we need to remember that our goal is for the bud to form a shoot.
At the same time, if a stump is left, it may dry out, and the bud will not sprout a new shoot. Such a stump can only be left when pruning the bush.
Cut to ring
When using this method, the entire branch is cut off. Depending on the thickness, you can use pruning shears. To prevent a protruding stump from being left and at the same time a “cut” does not occur, a cut should be made along the outer surface of the ring. The rings are located at the junctions of the branches.
Side branch cut
If you want to leave a side branch and continue to grow in its direction, you need to cut off the unnecessary branch. It turns out that the cut in relation to the left branch will become its continuation.
How much to trim?
You should not cut off more than 25% of the tree's branches. When deciding how much to trim, you need to focus on the bare minimum.
Each pruning is a lot of stress for the tree, and it also increases its vulnerability to diseases and insects.
Make sure living branches make up at least 2/3 of the tree's height. If you remove more than necessary, this will increase the risk of damage to the tree. Sometimes pruning is forced. For example, wind damage, height reduction due to power lines, municipal canopy raising requirements, etc. But even in these cases, prune as little as possible.
Care after pruning Branches located on the periphery of the crown, the diameter of which is less than 2 cm, are not lubricated.
Try to monitor the condition of the tree in the future and treat the resulting wounds, if necessary. If you notice any peculiarities in how the tree reacts to pruning, try to apply the experience gained in further care.
Tree pruning is the key to any gardener's success. Fruit trees require constant and careful care. Only in this case will they produce a regular and abundant harvest. Surely many gardeners have encountered the phenomenon that a neighbor in the countryside collects more fruits from one plant than you from the entire plot. This suggests that your neighbor is taking proper care of his trees, which you, unfortunately, are neglecting. From this article you will learn why pruning fruit trees is needed and how to do it correctly.
Purposes of tree pruning
This procedure is carried out with the aim of extending the life of plants, stimulating their growth and obtaining a large harvest. After all, fruit trees personal plot Planted specifically for the purpose of producing fruit. Besides, Garden pruning helps protect trees from pests and possible diseases.
In general, plants need comprehensive care; pruning alone will not be enough to obtain a bountiful harvest. It is necessary to fertilize, water and spray the garden. And then yours fruit trees They will be beautiful, healthy and, most importantly, fruitful.
The fact that pruning trees plays a big role in obtaining a harvest does not mean that this activity should be carried out whenever you want. There are certain timing and methods for carrying out this procedure. Failure to follow these rules will have the opposite effect on the trees and you risk instead blooming garden get a bunch of stunted plants.
Types of pruning
By removing excess branches from the crown of a tree, you greatly slow down its growth. Experienced gardeners have long noticed this feature: the larger the tree, the smaller its fruits. The following types of plant pruning are currently practiced:
Crown forming
This is done to obtain a bountiful harvest by forming the correct crown of the fruit tree. Typically, such pruning is carried out in the period from 2 to 4 years of life of the seedling on your site.
The branches are pruned in such a way that the stronger shoots form a reliable frame that protects the weaker and thinner branches. This must be done in such a way that the branches inside the frame receive a sufficient amount of sunlight. It has been noticed that trees with properly treated crowns begin to bear fruit earlier and produce more yield..
Regulating fruiting
The regularity of the resulting harvest depends on this procedure. The essence of this pruning is as follows: depending on the variety of seedling, the shoots are shortened by a certain number of buds. This number can vary from 3 to 12.
Restorative
It involves removing old, broken or diseased branches.
Rejuvenating
This type of pruning is only relevant for mature trees. Old branches are removed or shortened, leaving only young shoots. It is recommended to carry out this procedure approximately every four years.
Trimming methods
Novice amateur gardeners are concerned with the question of how to properly prune trees? We have already told you about the types of this procedure. Now it’s worth talking about the methods. Currently, two such methods are known. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.
Shortening
The idea is to prune young shoots. This is done to prevent the growth of shoots outside the crown..
This is done like this: choose a shoot that grows outward and has more than one bud. For example, if there are three buds on a shoot, it is recommended to cut off one. Next year, the pruned branch should produce three young shoots. One of them will definitely grow in the direction the gardener needs, that is, not outward from the crown, but parallel to the ground. This shoot is left, the other two are cut off.
Thinning
This type of pruning of fruit trees is considered the safest for the health of the plant. In this case, the branches are not pruned, but completely removed.
It is necessary to remove the branch at its very base. Usually there is a subtle fold of bark in this place. This fold should remain intact. Then the cut site will quickly be covered with bark, which will significantly reduce the risk of disease.
Selecting Tools
The choice of tools for pruning fruit trees plays a big role. Tools should not only be comfortable, but also well sharpened. This will not only allow you to quickly necessary work, but will also cause less discomfort to the seedling.
Here is a list of tools that should be present in the arsenal of any gardener:
Secateurs
This is probably the most popular and frequently used tool in gardening. When purchasing such garden shears, you need to pay attention to the following points: weight, sharpening and operation of the mechanism.
If you purchase a tool that does not fit your hand or is difficult to operate, the work of pruning fruit trees will take a lot of time and effort.
Hacksaw
Inexperienced gardeners often use ordinary carpenter's tools to work in the garden. This is a fundamentally wrong approach. Although a construction saw will provide a faster work process, it will cause irreparable damage to the tree. Therefore, it is best to purchase a special garden hacksaw.
Air pruner
This tool's operating principle is no different from ordinary garden shears. The only difference is telescopic design devices. Thanks to it, without using a ladder, you can cut branches located at a decent height from the ground.
Gasoline saw
This tool is used to trim thick branches from old trees.
How to prune correctly to increase tree productivity
Many novice gardeners do not pay due attention to this procedure. Why bother with pruning if the tree already bears fruit beautifully, they say. But the yield will be high only in the first three years, then it will decline sharply.
The crown plays a major role in the fruitfulness of a tree. It is recommended to trim and shape it from the beginning of planting the seedling in the ground. The crown should not be very thick and high. Otherwise, the abundance of branches will not let the sun's rays through, which will impede the development of fruits. In addition, processing and spraying heavily dense trees is very problematic. Accordingly, the plant will often get sick.
Garden pruning is also necessary to ensure that the branches grow in the same direction. A chaotic accumulation of branches not only reduces the yield, but also makes harvesting difficult. Therefore, it is recommended to completely remove all shoots that grow strictly upward or downward.
Horizontal branches should not be removed; it is on them that most fruits are formed. As a last resort, you can trim them slightly so that the branch does not break due to the abundance of fruits.
Do not leave dried, broken or frozen branches. They affect not only the yield, but also the lifespan of your garden.
IN winter time, especially with the onset of severe cold, it is recommended to trim the crown. This will allow the plant to recover faster from frost and, accordingly, produce more harvest.
When to prune
Why you need to prune fruit trees and how to do it correctly, we figured it out. Now we should talk about what time of year is best to do this.
Trimming garden trees takes place at any time of the year. But it is worth considering some factors. For example, the region of the country where your garden is located. Considering the vast expanses of our Motherland, each region has its own climatic conditions.
For example, in the south it is recommended to do this because there are no severe frosts there. IN middle lane In Russia, and in the north of the country, fruit trees should not be pruned. Otherwise, during severe frosts, the tree may get sick and die.
Taking these features into account, we can conclude that optimal time for cutting branches, this is early. Until the buds begin to swell. Therefore, first of all, attention is paid to old trees. Buds form on them much earlier than in young plants.
It also has its own characteristics. In general, experienced gardeners and biologists advise choosing for pruning the period when the garden is resting.
Pruning crops in the garden in the spring is a serious undertaking. To perform the manipulations, you need to choose the right time, the appropriate tools, and then get to work. What are the features of performing competent pruning? garden plants how to remove branches different types cultures? We will talk about this in this article.
In order to carry out proper pruning of trees and shrubs in the spring, you should follow some rules. You will have to remove shoots that will not be useful in the future. In many fruit trees, the main harvest ripens on regrown branches. If the crown is too thick, unproductive and old branches are removed. The shoots growing downwards are also removed during spring pruning.
Because they receive the least amount of light and are considered unpromising. In the spring, it is also necessary to prune the branches that have managed to grow upward. Although their productivity is lower than those located horizontally, they are productive. Harvesting from such branches is more difficult. When pruning trees and shrubs, young shoots that are an obstacle to the growth and development of others should be removed. At the end of pruning, the cut area is lubricated with garden varnish. To remove small and large branches in the spring, it is recommended to use sharp pruning shears.
For thicker branches, a file or lopper is suitable, and for very large branches, a hand or chainsaw. The formation of fruit trees and shrubs is carried out during a period when the air temperature is consistently more than -4 degrees.
After pruning diseased branches or shoots in the spring, do not forget to disinfect the tool with alcohol. The spring formation of the tree crown is carried out before the start of the sap flow period. After the pruning procedure, you need to check that the branches grow in a horizontal position.
How to treat fruit trees Pruning fruit trees in spring depends on their species. Unnecessary branches are removed from apple trees so that the main trunk remains intact, in relation to which the remaining branches will grow at an obtuse angle. In the process of cultural development top part
It can change direction under the weight of the crop, provide shade, or weigh down side shoots. If this happens, the top of the main trunk will have to be cut off. This way, the crown is illuminated, and new shoots will begin to grow vertically from the main trunk. Plum trees are similar in shape to shrubs because they do not have a main trunk.
When pruned, such trees form a cup-shaped crown. The central conductor is removed, and old branches and shoots are cut out every spring if they are located close to each other. It is necessary to shorten branches that are too long and hang down to the ground. The formation of cherries differs from other fruit trees. Its buds are located at the ends of the branches, so they cannot be shortened. If you cut the tip, the branch will dry out. The branches of the cherry tree are completely cut out for the purpose of thinning. Peach and apricot grow intensively; young fruit trees are advised to be pruned carefully. The tops of these tall crops are removed. It is also necessary to remove branches that are located low.
Video “Pruning an apple tree in spring”
, which will not interfere with each other’s normal growth. As an example, let’s consider the formation of a bush of a popular garden crop - black currant. One year after the first circumcision a couple of basal shoots may grow from the roots. They are also called zero ones; new shoots appear on them every year. For a 2-3 year old seedling, no more than 4 zero branches should be left. To stimulate the appearance large quantity branches at the basal shoots and the tops are cut off. In weakly branching bushes, it is permissible to remove shoots up to half the entire length. For 4–5 years, the same procedure is carried out to remove zero branches and shorten them. Both diseased and weak branches are removed.
By the 5th year of the bush’s life, it will have 2–4 basal shoots from each year, and the process of crown formation will be considered complete. Old bushes must be thinned to remove unproductive branches.
They are easy to find - they have a brown tint, grow no more than 10 cm annually, and in the fruiting areas they look dry and dying. Pruning gooseberries is done in the same way as currants. Here it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of growth - the formation of zero shoots is more intense. When implementing proper care For gooseberry bushes you will have to remove hanging branches more often than for currants.
They are cut off at the root or heavily pruned into side shoots. You also need to prune raspberries, taking into account some of the characteristics of the crop. After planting, the shoots are completely cut down to ground level. This allows the formation of viable shoots, which is the key to a good harvest in the coming season. When the bushes bear fruit, all fruit-bearing shoots are removed at the root and annual shoots are thinned out. The density during thinning is 12–15 first-year shoots per linear meter. The distance is left at 25 cm. Viable shoots that have sufficient height are cut into 3 to 5 buds.
When performing work to remove branches from trees and shrubs, you should meet the generally accepted deadlines - you cannot perform manipulations with the beginning of the period of sap flow. At this time, the wounds received by the crops during the formation of the crown using sharp instruments will heal heavily and for a long time. Processing times for different types garden crops are different, which allows you to easily manipulate each tree on the site.
Procedures should be carried out at temperatures close to 0 degrees. At the end of the work, do not forget to treat the cut area with garden varnish, a mixture of yellow clay with cow dung or paint. Berry bushes that form buds on one-year-old shoots cannot be pruned at this time of year. It is recommended to carry out the treatment taking into account the age of the tree and its size.
Video “Pruning fruit trees”
How to properly trim trees so that they give good harvest? Do not know? Then don't miss the next tutorial outlined in the video below.
Pruning apple trees is a technique that every gardener needs to know.
By using pruning at random, without knowing the rules, gardeners can cause irreparable damage to fruit trees.
Proper pruning - important element in the formation of a well-groomed, consistently fruit-bearing apple orchard.
Before properly pruning an apple tree, It is necessary to carefully study pruning methods and their types.
Types of pruning
Pruning can be formative, sanitary, rejuvenating and regulating. Formative pruning creates a strong skeleton for the tree, on which only strong, fruit-bearing branches remain. Sanitary pruning is designed to clean the tree from damaged and incorrectly growing branches.
Rejuvenation - removal of old fruit branches. By using regulating pruning The height of the apple tree is restrained, the crown is thinned out, and fruiting is regulated.
Based on intensity, pruning methods are divided into pinching, weak, medium and strong.
- Pinching is used during the active development of annual green growths.
- With light pruning on young trees, the growth of new shoots is stimulated; skeletal branches are cut by one quarter.
- With medium pruning, the branches are cut off by one third. This method is used on mature apple trees that are more than five years old.
- Heavy pruning involves the complete removal of a large number of branches. This is how the crowns of mature trees are thinned out.
Basic Techniques
Trimming to ring
This technique is used when you want to completely delete a branch. At the point of growth, each branch has a ring-shaped growth.
In this place, tissue cells are able to actively divide, so a cut made into a ring heals quickly. It is important to make an even, clean cut so that approximately half of the ring remains on the branch, and half on the base.
You cannot cut too far from the base - a stump will remain. The consequence of such pruning is that the stump dries out, falls out and forms a hollow. You cannot completely cut off the ring from the base, going deeper into the cambium - this will injure the tree.
Bud pruning
When branches are partially removed, pruning to the outer bud allows you to expand the crown and reduce its density.
A cut to a bud looking inside the crown is used to the shoots began to grow inward and the crown became dense.
The correct cutting distance is no more than 50mm from the selected bud. Exceed this distance and a stump will remain; if it is too low, there is a risk of kidney damage.
Cuts should be immediately cover with garden varnish, oil paint or drying oil to prevent infection from damaging the wound.
An example of correct pruning for a bud.
Large ring sections It is better to pre-disinfect with antifungal drugs, for example, a solution copper sulfate or iron sulfate(three or five% respectively).
Terms of work
The timing of pruning is determined by the needs of the trees, not the gardener. Best time carrying out work is the very beginning of sap flow. Tree pruning begins in the spring from mid-April and continues until the buds break..
Advice! In early summer, it is convenient to carry out sanitary pruning, since it becomes clearly visible which shoot survived the winter and which froze.
During this period, it is easy to identify branches infected with infection or pests. In August, pruning can be done in areas where spring flowers are common. return frosts. This will slow down the beginning of the tree’s growing season for the next season and will preserve the fruit buds.
A good time to prune apple trees is autumn, when the leaves and fruits have already dropped. The main thing that for the next two to three weeks the air temperature did not drop below ten degrees. In the south, in a climate with warm winters The pruning period can last until February.
Based on the timing of work, methods and types of pruning, you can draw up work plans for different seasons.
Apple tree pruning diagram for beginners
How to properly trim apple tree branches in spring?
in spring main tasks of a gardener– eliminating the consequences of wintering apple trees, preparing them for the new season. Sanitary pruning is carried out, young apple trees form:
- All broken, burned and frostbitten branches are removed;
- Branches severely damaged by infections or pests are completely destroyed;
- Branches that grow inside the crown and form an acute angle with the trunk are removed;
- Old trees can be rejuvenated;
- Strong or medium regulatory pruning is carried out if necessary.
By carrying out regulatory pruning in the spring, you can control the amount of harvest. If the previous year the tree gave big harvest, it laid some flower buds. In this case, spring regulatory pruning will not be necessary.
If the previous year was not rich in harvest, then in the spring the tree must be pruned quite strongly. This way the apple tree will have as many fruits as it can grow without spending excessive effort.
How to prune apple trees in summer?
Drastic pruning is possible only as a reaction to negative natural phenomena.
- Early summer– time to remove diseased branches if the extent of their damage was not visible in the spring;
- End of June– pinch rapidly growing green shoots so that they do not take away nutrition from the main skeleton of the plant and do not shade the crown;
- Anytime those branches that have broken or cracked under the influence of natural factors or the severity of the harvest;
- End of summer— old branches of adult plants on which few apples have formed and those that shade young fruit-bearing branches are removed;
- End of summer– prune fruit-bearing trees to slow down the start of the growing season next season, if necessary.
If there are no sick or broken branches on the apple trees, in the summer you can limit yourself to only pruning that regulates the density of the crown. Knowing how to prune an apple tree during the summer months will help you achieve a successful harvest.
How to prune apple trees in the fall?
You can do all the pruning work that you didn’t have time for in spring and summer:
- Branches broken by the wind are removed;
- Branches that have broken or cracked under the weight of fruit are removed;
- After fruiting, sanitary pruning is carried out to get rid of the consequences of harvesting;
- Rejuvenating pruning of old apple trees is carried out;
- If, during the fruiting period, branches were noticed on adult apple trees on which there was practically no harvest, they should be removed;
- The branches on which small and deformed fruits have grown are removed;
- Branches that shade the main fruit-bearing shoots are removed;
- Branches that are heavily damaged by pests, bacterial or fungal infections are removed.
Advice! There is no universal pruning scheme; focus on the individual needs of each apple tree.
The need for pruning depends on many factors. One of them is the age of the orchard.
How to properly saw down apple trees of different ages?
Having decided to prune a young apple tree, the gardener sets himself the goal of planting good foundation for her further development. An old fruit tree is pruned to enhance fruiting, remove crown defects, and preserve vitality for further growth. Most of the work involved in pruning mature apple trees is aimed at getting rid of diseases and pests.
Although the methods and types of work for pruning young and mature trees are the same, the technology of work is different. Let's look further at how to prune an apple tree by year.
annual apple tree
The gardener has two tasks at this stage: to restrain the growth height of the central shoot so that the skeletal side branches develop well, and to form a trunk. Formative pruning of young apple trees should begin one year after landing.
At the age of one year, the seedling consists of a trunk and 2 - 3 branches. If the central trunk is cut at a height of 0.8 - 1 meter, the growth of side shoots will increase. Long skeletal branches need to be shortened. Each of them should be 16-20 cm shorter than the height of the trunk and have from three to five buds.
To form the correct trunk, the shoots that grow on the seedling at a distance of 40-50 cm from the ground must be removed. Branches that have an angle of up to 60 degrees at the point of growth will not be able to form a good backbone on their own. You can deal with them in two ways: remove or try to give them a horizontal position.
Two year old apple tree
If you are wondering how to prune a 2-year-old apple tree, then you should know that pruning helps to properly lay the tiers of skeletal branches.
The crown shape - any, except cup-shaped, requires the presence of two to five large branches on each tier. The interval between the formed levels is approximately 40 - 60 cm and depends on the expected height of the tree.
The branches of each level should be located at approximately equal distances from each other relative to the circumference of the tier. The skeletal branches of a two-year-old seedling are shortened.
If a decision is made to form an apple tree in the form of a bowl, then in the second year of life the seedling completely remove the central trunk. The cut is made above the first fork of the branches.
In the absence of a center, the side branches will take on its role. An apple tree will form, consisting of 2-4 trunks, depending on the number of skeletal branches on the first tier.
Until the age of five, the crown continues to form.
Mature apple tree
Starting from the age of five, the main pruning is carried out on fruit trees. Before starting it, sanitary pruning is carried out. When the apple tree is cleaned, they begin rejuvenation:
- Cut off all old branches that are no longer capable of producing apples of varietal size and quality;
- Some of the tops are cut out;
- Crossing branches are cut into the ring;
- All branches directed into the crown and downwards are removed;
- The root shoots and growth growing near the trunk are destroyed;
The last stage of anti-aging procedures is shortening the trunk. Tall trees can be pruned to 3.5 - 2.5 meters without harming the intensity of fruiting. Removing the top allows light to enter the crown, helps increase the quality of fruits and their quantity.
Important! If the apple tree is more than eight years old, you cannot do anti-aging pruning at one time. Losing a large volume of vegetative mass at the same time is a big stress for an old tree. It is better to distribute the work over several years.
Pruning apple trees on dwarf and columnar rootstocks has its own peculiarities.
How to prune a dwarf apple tree?
On a dwarf apple tree rootstock they produce bountiful harvests, begin to bear fruit earlier. If dwarf fruit trees are not pruned, their total fruiting period may be reduced to 3 to 5 years.
In the first year of life, the crown skeleton is formed by trimming the trunk. The cutting height depends on the variety and is 40-70 cm. Side shoots trimmed so that the crown visually looks like ball, hat or triangle.
The closer to the top of the apple tree, the stronger the branches develop. Strong upper branches are shortened, which stimulates the growth and development of shoots in the center of the crown. Tree branches on dwarf rootstocks, if they are healthy, rarely cut out completely. Most often, two to four buds are left on them.
As soon as the apple tree begins to bear fruit, the number of flower buds should be regulated so as not to overload the apple tree with fruits. Under the weight of fruits dwarf varieties It may not only be the branches that are broken. A tree can uproot itself from the ground.
How to properly prune a columnar apple tree
The crown shape of columnar apple trees is special. The width of such a tree does not exceed 50 cm; it has no long side branches. Regular trimming columns are not required. But sometimes the apple tree needs pruning.
Damage to the top of the trunk
Damage to the top - one of the most common problems columnar apple tree. Damage is usually caused by frost and pests, then by the beginning of the season the apical part of the trunk dries out and dies. These processes force gardeners to trim the top.
The peculiarity of pruning shoots at the crown is that it is necessary not only to cut off the central shoot, but also to find a replacement for it. If this is not done, the apple tree will form several trunks at the top, will lose its column shape. To create a new crown, choose the strongest shoot that grows vertically.
The remaining vertical branches are cut off, leaving two to three buds from the base. The former crown is removed at the point of contact with the selected leader.
To avoid the need for pruning, the top of the columns should be wrapped for the winter.
How to trim an apple tree while maintaining the shape of the crown?
In the first year of growth, columnar varieties, as a rule, do not require gardener intervention in the process of crown formation. Starting from the age of two, young growths begin to compete with fruiting branches, take food from them.
It is during this period that the gardener must intervene and adjust the ratio of the growth of the main branches and increments:
- All shoots that the apple tree has formed are pinched at the same distance from the trunk, which is 25-30 cm;
- In the third and subsequent years, pinching is carried out at a distance of 30-40 cm;
- Beginning with fourth year, three-year-old branches are partially removed.
The peculiarity of pruning side shoots is that with systematic pinching, the columnar apple tree will not need pruning. Since pinching is a more gentle procedure, The apple tree is not injured and does not experience stress.
Attention! It is recommended to completely wrap columnar apple trees with covering material in several layers for the winter. Thus, during periods of severe frosts and sharp temperature fluctuations they will not suffer flower buds, trunk and, most importantly, the bark of the apple tree.
Any apple tree needs special maintenance care after pruning.
How to trim an apple tree: video of the correct technique
If you don’t know how to properly prune an apple tree, we recommend watching this video:
And in this video, see the details and subtleties of spring pruning of apple trees:
Apple tree care after pruning
After pruning, fruit trees need watering and fertilizing. If pruning was carried out in the spring, it is necessary to add to the soil trunk circle fertilizers that contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal parts.
Tops and forks autumn pruning Fertilizers are applied, which contain potassium and phosphorus - they stimulate wound healing and strengthen the bark of the apple tree. Nitrogen fertilizers should be avoided in autumn.
Adding nitrogen in the fall will give impetus to the development of new shoots; as a result, the wood of annual growths will not have time to fully ripen, and the apple tree will not prepare for wintering. As a result, the cuts made in the fall may be susceptible to frostbite.
When fertilizing, you should strictly follow the norms for applying fertilizers. Over-fertilizing apple trees will do more harm than good.
Apple tree pruning diagram.
How to prune an apple tree by year.
How to prune an apple tree in the fall.
How to prune apple trees to form a tree crown.
Instead of a conclusion
When preparing to prune an apple tree, you must remember that when cutting each branch, you should answer the question “why?” There is an answer - cut. There is no answer, which means this branch can remain on the apple tree.
If there is a bacterial or fungal infection – garden pruning should be postponed. Every cut is a potential entry point for microbes.
Proper pruning is the key to the health and fertility of an orchard.
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