Pruning trees in autumn or spring. Video "Pruning an apple tree in spring." Do-it-yourself tree pruning in the garden - sharing experience
The next spring, after planting the seedling, he needs pruning in order to form a crown (forming). From the first pruning, the desired shape and density of the crown of the future tree is laid, it is not allowed to grow too high, and the skeleton is strengthened. Annual regulatory pruning is done to maintain the already given shape of the crown, to prevent the growth of extra shoots that can weigh down the skeletal branches and disrupt the lighting regime. It can be done in spring or autumn.
Older trees need rejuvenating pruning. It is made to force the tree to produce new fruit-bearing shoots. In this case, the old branches are greatly shortened or completely removed. Such a cut is made in early spring. Sanitary pruning is done all year round as needed. It consists in removing broken, dried, frozen branches.
Process Features
Garden clearing begins in early spring. As a rule, first the owner approaches apple and pear trees with pruners. First, he removes the broken, withered branches, then notices the frozen ones, cuts them to a living place. After that, it's time to take a closer look at the branches, remove those that prevent others from developing, spoil the crown, for example, branches pointing down.
The growth time of all fruit crops can be divided into 5 main periods. In order for pruning to be correct - to benefit, and not weaken the tree, you need to understand at least a little about these periods of growth. The first period of growth and development can be counted from planting in a permanent place in the garden until the first fruits appear. It is clear that for all fruit trees it is different. In apple and pear (pome) trees, it can last from 4 to 12 years. Less than 1-2 years. In cherries, sweet cherries, apricots, plums, (stone fruits) - 4-6 years.
At this time, pruning is gentle, aimed only at forming the crown of a young tree. A year after planting, in the spring the shoots are slightly shortened, the rest of the time the skeletal branches are strengthened. Weak shoots directed inside the crown should be cut off completely or pinched, and new growing branches in the crown should be shortened a little. At the end of the period, that is, with the appearance of the first fruits, the tree should have 5-6 strong skeletal branches, on them - several branches of the second and, perhaps, third order of branching, a transparent crown.
The second period lasts for all about 4-6 years - from the first fruits to the regular harvest. This is a period of intense growth. young tree, pruning is aimed at completing the formation of the crown. The shortening of the branches inside the crown stops, the central conductor is cut out, which limits the height of the tree. Sometimes it is not cut out, but bent, then it becomes overgrown with young fruit twigs, and no longer grows in length. If a tree has a good healthy bud from which an unnecessary branch can grow, there is no need to wait for this, it is better to remove this bud with your fingers or cut it out with a knife. Pruning is aimed at ensuring that the crown of the tree remains transparent.
The third period is the period of growth and fruiting. It is characterized by a constant increase in fruit. In tall trees, it lasts 10-20 years, in dwarf trees - up to 10 years. At this time, pruning is aimed at maintaining the size of the crown, removing old fruit branches, new ones that grow inside the crown and shade other branches. During the fourth period - active fruiting - pruning takes more and more time and effort, it is aimed at rejuvenating the tree. At this time, perennial skeletal branches are actively shortened, fruit branches are thinned out, and mixed fruit branches are cut out. This should lead to increased growth of terminal shoots. Such enhanced pruning in parallel with top dressing and watering is designed to extend the fruiting period.
The fifth period is characterized by a decrease in yield and gradual drying of the tree. Very active pruning aimed at shortening the skeletal branches, cutting out all other perennial branches can lead to the development of new lateral fruiting (fruiting) shoots. But this will not prolong the life of the tree for a long time, it is more expedient to replace it.
Approximately according to this scheme, all fruit trees in the garden, which means that pruning should be appropriate. But you need to take into account the individual characteristics of varietal trees. For example, many stone fruits grow in bushes (plums), they need to be trimmed accordingly. As for the columnar apple tree, there is no unambiguously correct answer to the question "is it worth cutting it off." Some gardeners are sure that it is shown either in the fall, like all other apple trees, because it forms the correct crown shape, allows it to remain transparent, and helps strengthen new shoots.
Other orchard owners find columnar apple trees to grow and bear fruit well without annual pruning. They, indeed, retain a completely recognizable crown shape, but too dense branches intertwine and obscure each other. There is no convincing data on whether pruning lengthens the fruiting period of a columnar apple tree, so here each gardener decides for himself.
Video "Spring work with an apple tree"
Pruning timing
It is advisable to carry out spring pruning in the garden before the fermentation of juices begins, so it begins on a sunny March day, when the snow has not yet melted (if there is no snow) the earth has not thawed. First, pome fruits are cut, that is, apple and pear trees. Then they move on to stone fruits - cherries, cherries, apricots, plums. Pruning started too early can be harmful - if frost returns, shortened branches may freeze. Too late - there is a risk of slowing down spring activity. But there is an exception to this rule: in the southern regions, fruit trees are pruned at the end of May so that they can more easily endure the summer heat.
Many gardeners adhere to the lunar calendar when holding garden work. According to him, pruning cannot be done on a full moon, it is best to do it a few days before the end. lunar month, then the trees will transfer it easily and quickly recover. In the north and middle lane trees are pruned only in spring, it is dangerous to do this in autumn, unhealed cuts can bring disease and a general weakening of the tree. But in the southern regions, where there is no long and very frosty winter, in the spring it is difficult to determine the time between rest and awakening, often. Some gardeners believe that it is autumn pruning for the purpose of rejuvenation, it is most effective and is carried out when the trees have already fallen asleep. Thinning the crown in autumn makes sense if heavy snowfalls in winter can damage branches.
The secrets of proper pruning
Apple trees need annual pruning, but some stone fruits, such as cherries and plums, are sometimes better left undisturbed, while dwarf trees are pruned every few years. The correct cut is obliquely above the kidney. Water flows quickly along such a cut, it heals easier. Sections of branches larger than a centimeter in diameter are best treated with garden pitch or at least drying oil. The tool with which the diseased branch was cut off must be treated with alcohol. Sick, infected branches are best burned after pruning.
Horizontal branches have the highest yield, so their growth should be supported and encouraged, and those that grow vertically down or up should be cut. Plums of all stone fruits are the most bushy, they do not have one trunk - the central conductor, so you should not form anything other than a bowl shape from them. And in order to receive good harvest apricots and peaches, the trees need to be heavily cut, and cut without sparing, you need the top of the crown and the lower shoots. Stone fruits grow very quickly, so do not feed them after pruning, otherwise they will return the lost again.
Video "Spring apricot pruning"
In order to properly care for these fruit trees, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the information presented in this video.
Spring pruning of fruit trees is best done in late February - mid-March, when the tree is still sleeping, but not so cold. In any case, you need to be in time before the time when the tree begins to form buds.
Pruning rejuvenates the tree, increases yield, stimulates the growth of new branches.
Pruning can be: shortening, improving, post-planting, thinning.
Shortening pruning carried out in order to stop the excessive growth of branches, to exclude blocking one stronger branch from another. Shortening the main shoots stimulates their branching. Such pruning is carried out on young trees for the correct formation of their crown and the general skeleton of the tree. The branch is cut so that a bud remains at the tip, from which a new branch will grow. The cut site in this case will heal quickly. If you leave a piece of a branch after a kidney, it will dry out and the tree in this place may rot. On adult fruit trees, the skeleton is already, as a rule, formed and not shortening, but thinning pruning is carried out.
At thinning pruning branches growing inside and down the crown, weak branches are removed, and the most promising ones are left. With such pruning, the crown of the fruit tree becomes more ventilated and lighter, and, therefore, less susceptible to damage by moss and scab.
this is what a well-formed tree looks like
Postplant pruning needed to restore balance between the root part damaged during planting and the above-ground. In order for the roots to take root faster, and at the same time to begin to form the crown of the tree, such pruning is carried out.
At wellness pruning all damaged and diseased branches are cut off, as well as branches affected by rot, scab, frozen. Branches affected by any disease must be burned, they cannot be used for compost.
When removing side branches, you need to leave a stump of at least a centimeter. This will help keep the barrel from damage. If, however, a branch is cut flush with the trunk, then a shell is formed at the cut site, which will develop into a hollow. The stump should also not be left more than 1 cm, as it will dry out and become a breeding ground for diseases.
Pruning crops in the garden spring period year is a major undertaking. To perform manipulations, you need to choose the right time, the appropriate tools, and then get to work. What are the features of competent pruning garden plants how to delete branches different types cultures? We will talk about this in this article.
In order to carry out competent in the spring, you should follow some rules. You will have to remove shoots that will not be useful in the future. For many, the main crop 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.
Since they account for the least amount of light, and they are considered unpromising. In the spring, it is also necessary to prune branches that have managed to grow up. Although the degree of their productivity is lower than those located horizontally, they are productive. Harvesting from such branches is more difficult. When carrying out and shrubs, young shoots should be removed, which are an obstacle to the growth and development of the rest. At the end of the pruning, the place of the cut is smeared with garden pitch. To remove small and large branches in the spring, it is recommended to use a sharp pruner.
For thicker branches, a file or a lopper is suitable, and for very large ones, a manual or chainsaw. The formation of fruit trees and shrubs is carried out at a time when the air temperature is stable at more than -4 degrees. After spring pruning of diseased branches or shoots, do not forget to disinfect the tool with alcohol. The spring formation of the crown of trees is carried out before the start of the sap flow period. After the pruning procedure, you need to control that the branches grow in a horizontal position.
How to process fruit trees
Depends on their types. 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 under the weight of the crop, it can change direction, give a shadow, or press down the lateral shoots with the weight. If this happens, the top of the main trunk will have to be cut off. This is how the illumination of the crown is achieved, and new shoots will begin to grow vertically from the main trunk. Plum is similar in shape to shrubs, since it does not have a main trunk.
When pruning, such trees form a cupped crown. The central conductor is removed; annually in the spring, old branches and shoots are cut out if they are located close to each other. It is necessary to shorten branches that are too long and hang down to the ground. different from other fruit trees. Its buds are located at the ends of the branches, so they cannot be shortened. If you cut off the tip, the branch will dry out. Cherry branches are cut out completely for the purpose of thinning. Peach and apricot grow intensively, cutting young fruit trees is advised carefully. These tall crops have their tops removed. It is also necessary to remove the branches that are located low.
Video "Pruning an apple tree in spring"
berry bushes
Shrubs that are pruned in the spring are treated in the same way. The exception is grapes. Old branches are removed, as young shoots will produce more yield. Branches infected with dangerous diseases and attacked by pests are removed under the main trunk. The branches remaining after the work is thinned out. Berry crops are processed to form a bush with branches of different ages that will not interfere with each other's normal growth.
For example, consider the scheme for the formation of a bush of a popular garden crop - blackcurrant. A year after the first pruning of a young plant, a couple of basal shoots can grow from the roots. They are also called zero, new shoots appear on them every year. At a seedling of 2 - 3 years, no more than 4 zero branches should be left. To stimulate the appearance a large number the branches of the basal shoots are cut off and the tops. In weakly branching bushes, it is permissible to remove shoots up to half of the entire length. Within 4 - 5 years, the same procedure is carried out to remove zero branches and shorten them. Both sick and weak branches are removed.
By the 5th year of the life of the bush, it will have 2 - 4 basal shoots from each year, and the process of crown formation will be considered completed. Old bushes must be thinned out to remove unproductive branches.
They are easy to find - they have a brown tint, grow no more than 10 cm annually, in places of fruiting they look dry and dying. Pruning gooseberries is carried out in the same way as currants. Here one should take into account the features of growth - the formation of zero shoots is more intense. When properly caring for gooseberry bushes, you will have to remove hanging branches more often than currants.
They are cut at the root or heavily cut into lateral shoots. is also necessary, taking into account some features of the culture. After planting, the shoots are completely cut to ground level. This allows you to form viable shoots, which is the key to a good harvest next season. When the bushes bear fruit, all fruiting shoots are removed under the root and annuals are thinned out. The thinning density is 12 - 15 first-year shoots per linear meter. The distance is left at 25 cm. Viable shoots with sufficient height are cut into 3-5 buds.
When performing work to remove branches from trees and shrubs, you should meet the generally accepted deadlines - you can not perform manipulations with the beginning of the sap flow period. At this time, the wounds received by the crops in the process of forming the crown with the help of sharp tools will be tightened heavily and for a long time. The processing times for different types of horticultural crops are different, which allows you to easily manipulate each tree on the site.
Procedures should be carried out at a temperature close to 0 degrees. At the end of the work, do not forget to treat the cut with garden pitch, a mixture of yellow clay with cow dung or paint. Berry bushes, in which buds form on one-year-old shoots, cannot be cut at this time of the year. Processing is recommended to be carried out, taking into account the age of the tree and its size.
Video "Pruning fruit trees"
How to properly prune trees so that they give a good harvest? Do not know? Then don't miss the next tutorial in the video below.
The early spring of this year left no time for gardeners to trim trees. Is it possible to prune the trees now, or is it already too late, since the sap flow has begun? How to carry out pruning and in what cases can it be avoided? How to properly form the crown of apple and pear trees? We give relevant advice to summer residents.
Often gardeners ask if it is possible to prune trees if sap flow has already begun. The summer resident will have to decide this for himself: it all depends on the condition of the plants. If during the winter some branches broke or the trunk split under the weight of snow, of course, it is necessary, without delay, to put the crown in order. Purposeful pruning during sap flow is hardly worth it.
You should know that pruning trees - not selfish at all. It is quite possible to do without this operation or make it minimal and corrective, if trees are formed correctly from an early age.
Photo 1 clearly shows how senselessly an adult tree was cut off. Not only was he not formed correctly, but in the future nothing was corrected, but only worsened his condition. Such a strong pruning will cause intensive growth of tops, which will grow in 2-3 years and form new, even higher floors of the awkward crown of the plant. Here it was necessary to completely remove the right competitor or greatly shorten it by transferring it to the lowest lateral branch in order to slow down development and reduce the roll to the right. The left part could be left almost entirely to a reasonable height, cutting off only the very top to reduce the crown.
Exist various systems the formation of fruit trees. The most acceptable for amateur gardening is a free-growing crown with some size restrictions in the future. In the crown it is necessary to support correct ratio the central conductor (leader), which should be the only one, and skeletal branches.
The conductor is necessary for the formation of all tiers of the crown on it, so it must dominate the branches in height and thickness. With age, it is shortened to reduce the crown and better lighting. Skeletal branches should initially be evenly placed on the trunk in height and circumference, without interfering with each other. Compliance with these well-known rules allows you to gradually form the most suitable crown for good fruiting, requiring minimal pruning.
What are the most common gardening mistakes? The main one is related to bifurcation of the trunk when two or even three competitors of the same development strength grow. A break between them is inevitable afterwards, both under the weight of the harvest and natural phenomena. Their bonding is only a half measure. Even if the tissues at the rupture sites grow together, the rupture will still repeat. It is necessary to prevent the appearance of two leaders, otherwise they will pull in different directions. If the bifurcation of the trunk has already occurred, then one must be removed in a timely manner, leaving the strongest.
Gardeners often make a similar mistake due to the fact that after planting, the development of the tree is allowed to take its course. The tree in photo 2 cannot be called abandoned, it is carefully whitewashed. Apparently, the owners are unaware that the bifurcation of the trunk is dangerous. One of the trunks needs to be urgently cut down at the base. Whitewash, by the way, in this situation performs only a decorative function, it is meaningless, since it clogs the stomata on the young bark and disrupts the necessary air exchange.
Dangerous are sharp angles between trunk and skeletal branches. The fact is that the annually growing layers of wood are connected without hindrance at a large angle of departure of the branch from the trunk. That is why the connection between them is strong. Such branches can bend to the ground without damage. But when the branch moves away from the trunk at an acute angle, the layers of wood cannot connect. This is prevented by areas of the cortex that do not grow together at the points of external contact, since the plant tissue (cambium) is located on the inside. The bark, sandwiched between the trunk and the branch, becomes a spacer as they thicken. In addition, it begins to rot due to moisture and microorganisms accumulating there, which further reduces the strength of the wood. As a result, fractures are formed.
It often happens that planted plants initially have a completely correct crown design, but the gardener worsens it with his own hands. It is not clear, for example, why the tree in photo 3 is fenced with a high bar? Possibly for pet protection. But it is clearly seen that the lattice lifts the branches up so that sharp angles of departure from the trunk are formed.
The situation is even worse in photo 4, where the entire crown is tied. You can fix the seedling on a high support by tying only the trunk with a figure eight, and the branches should be allowed to be located separately. If necessary, they are bent to avoid the formation of sharp corners.
Crown design is often degraded due to improper planting placement.. For example, if a tree is planted in the corner of the site, at a distance of 1 m from the fence. Here the branches will become crowded over time. But sometimes freely growing trees, as in photo 5, form a one-sided crown. In nurseries, they grow in close quarters, so the crown often develops unevenly.
This is easily fixable: when planting, seedlings should be positioned so that the bare part of the crown is in the most illuminated place, that is, on the south or southeast side. The stem and branches will stretch towards the sun, the crown will gradually level out and branch out in all directions. Kerbovka will also help in this (cuts over some kidneys on the bare part of the trunk).
Sometimes a young tree falls sideways. This situation must be urgently corrected before bud break.
Dig up the ground from the side of the slope according to the level of the crown projection and cut the roots with a sharp shovel so that the tree assumes a vertical position. The roots will then rise. Under them, you need to put a sufficient amount fertile soil how to water and re-fill the settled places with earth (as when planting). Next, you should fix the tree on a firmly driven stake (on the side opposite from the dig), tying the stem to it with a “figure eight” in two or three places. The plant will endure such a half-hearted injury to the roots due to their untouched part.
In order to reduce pruning of trees in the future, it is necessary during the period of active growth of shoots (June-July) regularly inspect trees for tops. This is the name of the shoots of this year, which grow rapidly not at the ends of the branches, but on their stiffened part, most often they stretch vertically upwards. If you notice the appearance of a top in time and simply pinch it off at the point of growth, the wound on the branch will quickly heal, and you will not have to remove useless young shoots in the fall.
N. Efimova Candidate of Agricultural Sciences
Trees need to be pruned only in the spring in March. Before the start of sap flow. The future development of the crown of your tree and the future harvest depend on this. Pruning is done with secateurs or special saws for wood with a fine tooth ...
I whitewash trees in autumn, spray with Bordeaux liquid in spring and summer, I apply fertilizer for fruit trees in spring and autumn. Pruning apple trees. Smart people, please tell me how to properly prune apple trees (tops and branches growing inside the crown).
Discussion
What kind of apple tree? What are the maturity dates? The yield depends on the variety. Summer apple trees begin to bear fruit earlier, autumn and winter later. A lot also depends on where the seedlings were taken.
Damn, they have been sitting with me for 4 years and by no means want to grow and bear fruit.
In the second year (they bear fruit in a year with us), not only did the leaves on the apple trees become large, green, well, like young ones, and outwardly they began to differ from uncircumcised apple trees (part of the garden belongs to my sister, but she did not cut her own, so Pruning trees spring: how to?
Discussion
IMHO, whitening is no longer important, the snow has melted, there is nothing to reflect, it will not burn
you need to put on trapping belts so that all sorts of bugs do not feast on
water abundantly when planting and then also abundantly, but rarely. mulch the trunk circle no matter what, it is important not to give life to weeds
cut if not cut by the seller
Pruning trees in spring: how to do it right? Is it possible to prune the trees now, or is it already too late, since the sap flow has begun? Are there unnecessary bars and boards in the yard?
Discussion
As far as I know, you can ALWAYS cut, except for the period of active sap flow.
Personally, I cut in February, when there is more snow. On high snow you can reach the upper branches.
PS. Why regularly trim barren trees - I also do not understand.
There is a danger that the tree will freeze if there are frosts and the wound does not have time to heal. Therefore, it is preferable to cut in the spring.
Under the canopy of trees. If you do not cut the hydrangea shoots, then they not only climb up, but also take root easily, falling to the ground. Pruning trees in spring: how to do it right?
Discussion
You can crop at any time, but IMHO best time- the end of winter, when snowdrifts and easy to get anywhere. I cut tops all the time, all summer. Previously, I tried to cut the tops "under the root", but now I have read Kurdyumov and leave 2-3 buds in the hope that a fruit will eventually grow from this shoot. The branches must be cut, if not "at the root", then to the kidney, directed in the direction you want.
Read Kurdyumov, "Smart Garden". True, it’s too complicated there, I simplified it a lot for myself. General principle: a good branch is a branch that is directed out of the crown, well lit, almost horizontal and does not overlap with another.
This year, the cut grass was piled right under the trees, where it still lies. Should I burn it in the spring? The more you cut the tree, the more it will grow. If the tree is a trunk, then leave 1 branch as the main axis, cut out the competition.
Discussion
Good afternoon It's me, yesterday's wife in thought! Well, let's take on your glade ?!
About trees, concisely. It is necessary to cut it, the crown needs light and air, otherwise you will try to treat the tree. The old rule says: "Cut so that the hat flies through the crown." Trim at positive temperatures, the last eye looks out. Cut out everything that is diseased, dry and growing inside the crown or departing at a very sharp angle. The remaining subtleties depend on the initial formation of the tree: a trunk, a bush, a trellis, or something else. The more you cut the tree, the more it will grow. If the tree is a trunk, then leave 1 branch as the main axis, cut out the competition. Cut off the remaining branches to 20-50 cm, depending on the crown. After pruning, it should have a pyramidal shape, in which case all branches, including the lower ones, will receive enough sun. Take a photo - details will follow!
In autumn, it is not bad to cover the trunk with such ... Like resin against Operophtera brumata, which crawl into the crown in autumn to lay eggs, but it's already too late to rush about, we'll discuss it in the fall. Whitewash the trunks also in the fall, against cracking of the trunks in the cold with the already intense spring sun.
Remove the grass, it attracts mice like a magnet. Grass on the compost heap. Plant nasturtium (enriches the soil with nitrogen) or marigolds (against nematodes), they are decorative and suppress the growth of weeds. Feed with compost. Do you have a compost heap? If you don’t feel like messing around and the trees are old, then you can “score” on the trunk circle and just mow the grass around. My old trees grow so beautifully, around the young ones I, accordingly, perform the above "dances with tambourines".
So sharpen your forks and scissors!
Spring is a time of considerable worries for the gardener and gardener. One of the important activities during this period is the spring pruning of fruit trees. In order for the procedure to be performed correctly, you need to figure out when, why and with what tools it is carried out.
What is pruning for?
In most cases, the question of why pruning is needed for fruit trees is asked by novice gardeners, since having planted a young seedling, they don’t really want to cut it. However, this reasoning is incorrect. To make it easier to understand what goals are pursued during pruning, let's compare wild and cultivated varieties. Nobody takes care of the wild game, its crown is intertwined with dry and live branches, and the size and taste qualities fruits leave much to be desired. With cultivars, the opposite is true: the gardener strives to get a plentiful and tasty harvest. This is possible only with proper tree care.
It has long been noticed that removing excess branches prolongs the fruiting period, and also improves the taste of the fruit. For for long years A number of rules have been put in place to proper cultivation both fruit trees and shrubs. Moreover, these rules apply not only to spring, but also to. The formation of a seedling begins to be engaged in next year after planting, while the shape of the crown may be different. It is during the first pruning that the desired shape and how dense the crown will be set. The main purposes of pruning are to prevent the tree from growing up and to strengthen the skeletal branches.
Garden trees need annual pruning, which is aimed at maintaining the initially set crown shape, preventing the growth of unnecessary shoots, which will only lead to weighting of skeletal branches and poor lighting. This type of pruning can be done both in spring and autumn. Spring pruning of old fruit trees is necessary for their rejuvenation. In this case, the goal is to obtain fruitful shoots. The procedure involves either the complete removal of old branches or their shortening, and such an event is held in early spring. In addition, sanitary pruning is necessary in the garden, in which dried, damaged branches are removed. All of the above actions, together with irrigation, fertilization, and also are proper care for garden plantings.
When to cut?
Novice gardeners will ask a completely logical question. The procedure is carried out at a time when the trees are in a dormant state, i.e. at rest. Deadlines will vary by region. For example, if we talk about spring pruning of trees in the Moscow region, then the deadlines fall on mid-March-early May, while in the south of the region the procedure should be completed two weeks earlier than in the north. Before removing branches, check the weather forecast to make sure that frost will not damage the tree after pruning. Otherwise, there is a possibility of plant diseases, and in the worst case, even death.
Spring pruning dates garden trees may be later, for example, at the end of May, which also depends on climatic features region. Such agrotechnics allows plants to better transfer the summer heat. In this case, the crown is thinned out, which improves ventilation and access. sunlight. At the same time, you need to be careful not to remove the excess, namely the branches on which the fruits are formed. This method is quite relevant for regions with warm climate. Some gardeners prune according to the lunar calendar. The procedure is recommended to be done a few days before the new moon. As a result, the trees will not be harmed by the process and it will take less time to recover. But with a full moon, pruning is not worth it. Therefore, before proceeding with this stage of work in the garden, look at moon calendar. So, the most preferred time for spring pruning of fruit trees is the beginning of spring, i.e. the period before the start of sap flow.
What tools will be needed?
Depending on the age of the trees in the garden, the list of necessary tools may differ. However, they must meet requirements such as sharp sharpening and ease of use, which will contribute to minimal damage to plants. You will need to prepare the following tools:
- . It should be characterized by low weight and comfortable handles, since they will have to work a lot. Ease of use directly depends on the quality of the material from which the blade is made. special attention deserve tools made of high carbon or hardened steel. They can work for a long time without the need for sharpening. Secateurs are also available in stainless steel. As for the handles, the material should not lead to chafing of the hand.
- Garden hacksaw. This tool will have to be used for sawing off branches of large diameter. Such a hacksaw should be chosen with a blade size that will be convenient to use, while the inclination of the teeth should be 5 mm. The handle should be rubberized, which will prevent the tool from slipping in your hand.
- Secateurs with a long handle. A variant with handles or a telescopic rod is possible, it is convenient for thinning the crown at a height. Choose a tool, in particular the length of the handles, based on the size of the trees that are supposed to be cut.
If you plan to work with an old garden, then you may need an electric or. To correct the cut, garden knives will come in handy.
It is important to remember: the tool must be comfortable, safe to use, sharp, light and durable.
Cutting methods
Knowing why and how to cut a tree, this is not enough to carry out the work. It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the cutting technology and it will differ from what goals are pursued. Gardeners mainly use the following cutting methods:
- Kidney cut. Helps to change the growth of branches in the right direction. In this case, only one-year-old branches are suitable, on which you should pick up a kidney located in the right direction. The secateurs are taken in the hand so that the blade is located on the remaining part of the branch, and not on the cut, which will ensure an even cut. It is performed at an angle, without affecting the desired eye. The cut should not be too sharp, otherwise the kidney will dry out due to lack of nutrition.
- Ring cut. The branch with this method is deleted completely. The method is appropriate when cutting shoots growing inside the crown. With a small thickness of the branch, pruning is done with a pruner. The cut is made along the outer edge of the ring, which looks like an influx in the place where the branches join.
- Slice for translation. The shortening of the skeletal branch or branching over the side branch is performed, i.e. growth is transferred to the side branch. Basically, this method is applicable to old branches that the gardener wants to stimulate to new growth.
How to crop correctly?
Before taking up the tool, you need to know what, for what and at what point in the life of the tree to cut. For a better understanding of the question of how to do spring pruning of fruit trees, it is worth considering the periods of development of garden plantings. It is important to remember that the procedure should in no way affect the weakening of the plant. The first period for fruit trees is considered from the moment the seedling is planted in a permanent place and continues until the first fruits appear. Depending on the type of fruit tree, this period may be different: for stone fruits it is about 4-6 years, for pome fruits 4-12 years. Pruning in this time period should be gentle, the goal pursued is to form the crown of a young plant.
With the onset of spring the following year, the shoots are shortened, after which the branches that form the skeleton of the tree will be strengthened. Twigs that are directed inward of the crown or are simply weak should be cut or pinched, and young ones that grow in the crown are slightly shortened. With the advent of the first harvest, about five or six skeletal branches should be formed near the tree, and branches of the 2nd and 3rd order are developed on them.
The duration of the second period is 4-6 years and is characterized by the appearance of the first harvest and the achievement of regular fruiting. A young tree during this time period is actively growing and developing, and the goal pursued during pruning is to finally form a crown. The central conductor is cut out, thereby limiting the upward growth of the tree. At the same time, it is not necessary to remove it - you can bend it to the side, which will contribute to the development of young fruit shoots. The growth of the central conductor in length stops.
The third period is characterized by growth and fruiting with a constant increase in yield. If we are talking about tall trees, then this period is about 10-20 years, for undersized trees no more than 10 years. Pruning in this case prevents the growth of the crown, allows you to remove both young and old branches, the growth of which is directed inside the crown.
The fourth period accounts for active fruiting. The purpose of pruning is to rejuvenate the tree. In the process of work, the old skeletal branches are shortened, and the fruit branches are also thinned out. This procedure promotes the development of shoots at the ends and, together with the introduction nutrients prolongs the fruiting period. With the onset of the fifth period, the yield decreases and the tree gradually dries out due to its age. You can somewhat improve the situation by severely cutting off the skeletal branches, which will lead to the formation of new fruit-bearing shoots. But it should be understood that such measures will only prolong the life of the tree for a while and its replacement would be a reasonable solution. The described development scheme is characteristic of almost all fruit trees, but at the same time, specific features should be taken into account and, in accordance with them, a certain crown should be formed.
To summarize, consider the basic rules for spring pruning of fruit trees:
- Pruning dates are early spring, when the threat of frost has passed. This will eliminate the freezing of wounds and with the onset of sap flow, they will quickly overgrow. After removing the shoots, the cut sites are treated with any other means that prevents harmful microorganisms from entering the wounds.
- The cut of the shoots is carried out above the buds directed outward from the crown, while the cutting side of the pruner should be located towards that part of the shoot that remains on the tree.
- The resulting shoots are cut off near the trunk, and the tops are at the base of the branches.
- Parallel vertical branches, as well as shoots directed inside the crown, are subject to removal.
- The distance between the extreme branches of the 1st and 2nd tiers should be 60-80 cm, the 2nd and 3rd - 20-40 cm.
- Branches from the central conductor must depart at an angle of at least 45˚.
To the above, we can only add that pruning garden trees in spring, and in autumn, too, is a necessary procedure that allows you to form the crown of a young tree, remove dried or damaged branches, and rejuvenate an old tree. By adhering to the above recommendations from year to year, your fruit trees will not only be in healthy condition but also bring a good harvest.